Never Simple, Isn't It?
by Writer's Convexity
Summary: Zootopia's shiny buildings and 'clean' streets hide a gritty underworld. When gruesome murders come to town, the new detectives are forced to team up with a mysterious special agent to uncover an ancient secret, all the while trying to figure out the most terrifying secret of all: feelings. (M for violence, action, and sexual themes)
1. Introductions

Nick walked through the corridors of the office section of the police station, slightly tired from the day's work. For the past four days he had been stuck on desk duty, filling out paperwork for other officers and keeping Judy up to date on the various investigations she was supposed to be working on. While her promotion to detective had startled most of the entire police force, Nick had seen it coming once he got back from the Academy. The circumstances surrounding the Night Howler case had led to them becoming major celebrities practically overnight, and when Judy forced Nick to speak at the press conference after Bellwether arrest, their faces were plastered nearly everywhere as the 'honest' fox and hero bunny of the city. It wouldn't have been so bad if a local toy company hadn't decided to run the idea, along with a large fundraising campaign for both the victims of the case and for donations to the police force. Nick and Judy toys and stuffed animals were leaving stores just as fast as they came in, and the boom caused parents and children to constantly barrage them with comments and questions and requests for autographs. While Mayor Bridgebord was happy enough to have them be simple public figures to connect the people to the police, Bogo was getting irritated by the day, as they were consistently coming back with uncompleted assignments, to no fault of their own. However, when he had the two remain in the precinct working on cases indirectly, their performance skyrocketed, which gave the buffalo an idea.

While he thought giving the bunny back her job and getting the fox into the academy was ample reward, city hall had been requesting promotions for the both of them. Something about 'Privates' wasn't good for a PR campaign directed at children. So, to kill two birds with one stone, and to give the press something nice to talk about, he held a public promotion ceremony for the bunny, giving her the position of official and dedicated detective. No more possibility of metermaid or patrol assignments, no basic paperwork duties, no more uniform. She would be a plain clothes detective. And surprisingly, the move worked. The media fawned over it, the mayor was as happy as a kit in one of the various toy stores that were filled with the new _detective_ Judy Hopps merchandise, and Judy got back to work.

This brings it all back around to the crimson furred fox. While he had no regrets about joining the police, he did feel greatly out of place without having his preferred partner. And while it was… interesting when he was paired up with Wolford, the fox found he could never really understand how someone so dim could really have gotten through the academy. And then when the wolf went on his family leave, the fox was left without a field partner, putting him on desk duty until further notice. Which, surprising to the small mammal, brought him a bit more comforts as he worked much more closely with the bunny he had started to miss. He was pretty much her partner at this point, as he helped her put cases together, they both bounced ideas off of each other, and had their fair share of solved cases. But on that day, he had been sent all over the department to file new personnel reports for the chief.

" _And don't you dare think about reading any of them, got it Wilde? I don't want to hear that you started blackmailing my other officers into giving you their blueberries or something equally ridiculous."_ Bogo had been quite clear about it. Although, even if he did look, the buffalo would never have found out. But, as part of a promise to Judy, he followed orders, and filed them away without so much as a peek, despite there being an addition to his own folder. That one was hard to put away without stealing a peek, and as he strolled through the building, he absent-mindedly thought about what buffalo-butt could have possibly thought necessary to add to his paltry personnel file. The fact that he was able to get away with having nearly nothing on record was enough to get a chuckle out of him, but what really took the cake was when Bogo tried to find out more about the fox by asking for it, only to discover that it had nothing on him. The dumbfounded look on the chief's face… now that was something.

"Hey, detective Toot-toot, how far-" he started as he walked into her office, expecting her to be hard at work on their latest case. But, as he scanned the room, she was simply nowhere to be seen. Scratching his head, he looked around again, only to catch the big bold letters on her whiteboard the second time around.

 **NICK, DON'T CALL ME TOOT-TOOT, AND GET YOUR FURRY TAIL TO BOGO'S OFFICE ASAP**

 **\- Carrots**

"Hahaha… Well, okay then. That's new…" he stared at the message, then shrugged and walked out, laughing a little at the smiley face next to her message. Too tired to wonder why, his first thought was to where his little partner had gone, instead of why he was going to the chief's office.

As he moved through the building, his cocky swagger devolved into a burdened shuffle, and he it soon hit him just how tired he was. _Well, haven't felt like this in a long time… wonder why…_ His simple thoughts lingered on his mind. However, they were interrupted. His paw flew up to his eyes and he reached out to stabilize himself on the wall as he was hit with another wave of exhaustion accompanied by a very strong urge to sleep. Or faint. Shaking himself awake, he quickly grabbed some coffee from the break room, downing it before it was cool enough to drink, the heat helping to wake him up.

"Owwww… well that was refreshing." He commented to himself, trying to shake off the fatigue. Luckily for him, that did the trick. The fox started on his way back up to Bogo's office, and as he started to climb the stairs he checked the time. _It's already 10? Wow, where did the day go…_ the vulpine thought to himself, alert and curious again. With that realization, he picked up his speed, jogging up the stairs and down the hall to the door labeled "Chief Bogo". As he did, Judy's scent hit him, and it occurred to him that she might actually be there. Before even touching the door, he pat himself down, straightening out his uniform and rubbing any look of sleep from his half-lidded smirk. Sighing and content with his appearance, Nick opened the door, bracing himself for whatever issue or case his boss(es) had for him.

"Ya know Carrots, you keep telling me not to call you Detective Toot-Toot and I'll start to think you don't like it. Finnick will be so sad. What's up Chief?" His remark got an eye roll from the bunny, who seemed unusually proper in her posture.

"Take a seat Wilde. There's an important matter we have to discuss." The chief of police motioned to one of the two open seats in front of his desk, and Nick happily jumped into one. Before Bogo could say anything, though, the fox had already started asking. Although, not really questions appropriate for the intended serious ambience.

"Hey, ya know chief, I don't think I remember your first name. Could you refresh my memory?" His lighthearted demeanor clashed with the serious vibe of the room.

"Really Wilde? Now isn't the time for jokes." Bogo sighed. For the most part he expected as much. The fox could tell when a situation was beyond jokes, and no matter how much they tried to trick him with straight faces, they still couldn't figure out when he could tell the difference.

"This isn't a joke. I was just hoping to get to know you a bit better. Maybe we could go out for some drinks. But I still need to know your name." He kept on, getting exasperated looks from the other two mammals.

"Shut your mouth Wilde, I have a real reason for calling you here, and it's not about making friends." He slammed his fist down, trying to reassert his authority. Too bad it just wasn't hard enough, as the fox began to guess.

"Mason? Lawrence? Is it Bill?" He started up, his smirk never leaving his face. This prompted a groan from Judy, who was both irritated and stifling a giggle.

"And the mayor wondered why I had reservations… Look Wilde, either you shut up or I suspend you for a week; without pay! Got it?" Bogo fired, now sincerely irritated. While it was definitely a bluff, it was also effective, as Nick kept his mouth shut long enough for Bogo to sigh again and continue, but the fox kept his humoured little grin on, displaying the nonchalance the Chief so hated.

"Now, the reason I have you in here; as you know, we here at the ZPD don't like needlessly promoting officers to outrank everyone else, as it breaks down the sense of camaraderie I've spent the past 14 years fostering. However, you two put me in quite a predicament. With the Night Howler's case so closely holding the public attention, and city hall plastering you two in uniform everywhere on their reconciliation campaign or whatever the hell they call it, you two quickly became a bigger liability than asset. Even after Judy's promotion, Wolford's reports still commented on how many people approached you Wilde, and now I have one of my best field officers stuck in doors. So, despite how much I loathe to do it…" the buffalo trailed off, grabbing a small box from one of his desk drawers and putting it in front of the fox. Nick didn't waste the opportunity, not exactly recognizing the weight of the circumstances.

"Haha… well, while I am certainly honoured by the thought, there are a couple problems. First, I'm not gay, sorry. Secondly, you're my boss, and that would be unethical. And oopsie number threesie-" he smirked when Bogo groaned and rubbed his eyes in frustration.

"It's crap like this that makes me rethink this decision, Hopps. You better be able to keep a muzzle on him or I swear," Bogo's comment snapped the fox out of his normally collected facade, Nick taking on a mixture of emotions at the word. Judy heard it too, and her face, which was previously contorted in an attempt to hide her amusement, immediately displayed a seriousness to reassure him.

"Chief, I promise you this is the best decision. I would say it now, since you have him in a serious mood." She recommended, getting a confused look from both of the males in the room. Seeing that she was correct, Bogo took advantage and cleared his throat, bringing the vulpine's attention back to him.

"Wilde, as of this moment, you are officially a dedicated detective of the ZPD. Don't make me regret this appointment." Bogo reached over and opened the small felt box, revealing the detective badge resting inside. For the first time since Judy handed him the academy application Nick was truly surprised and speechless at the same time.

"I… um… I don't…" He stammered as he reached out and picked it up, staring at it wide-eyed. Before he could put his words together into a coherent sentence, Bogo interrupted him, a less sincere seriousness on his voice.

"I don't care. Take the box, take the badge, take the bunny, and get out. I have somewhere to be." And with that, Judy jumped off the desk, beaming, dragging a stupefied fox out of the room with her.

* * *

A dark gray wolf sat in a dusty old chair, paying close attention to the equally old naked mole rat woman walking across the table in front of him. She was blind, her eyes clouded over, and her body well worn. She hobbled around the tabletop, completely dependent on her cane, hunched over it in the most precarious fashion. Staring at her, his grayish-blue eyes betrayed his darker ambitions and intents, displaying a the deep maddening of the canine. The elderly female was oblivious to this though, and sat down in a tiny chair meant for her, her robe and clothes bunching up and making her look just a bit larger. When she did, she pulled her hood pulled over her face, obscuring her eyes and face. The ambiance of the room grew foreboding as the small fireplace flickered, painting moving shadows on the back walls. She spoke with an experience heard by only a few.

"I know not why you wish to hear the tales again. You know them almost as well as I do, do you not?" Her voice was barely more than a hoarse squeak.

"Almost isn't good enough. I'm missing something, and you have my answer. Now tell it to me again." The wolf was irritated and pushy, and as he demanded of her he slammed his walking stick on the floor, emphasizing it all. She returned his irritation with a laugh, the dry chuckle promoting a scowl.

"As I am sure you remember, it started long ago, before Zootopia, before Zoolandia, in a darkened age…"

" _Before the time of peace we now find ourselves in, before the age of cooperation, understanding, exploration, learning, and discovery, there was a darker, more malevolent era. Long ago, after our ancestors stood up, their energies weren't first put to work to help, but to destroy. From the smallest of packs, grating together just a tad too much, came a most unwelcomed spark. A spark or war. The ferocity was always there, lying in our instincts to hunt and feed and flee. Now, with our hearts turned to building, our minds turned to others, and taking what we wanted. These times led to several nations, but the one most powerful, the one that would truly be forged out of this darkness, was Kirith. Born from the dark ambitions of a being too terrifying to refuse, the kingdom grew large, and in doing so, his richest grew vast. In his seat of eminence, he lay claimed to the very thing that started the age. The source of his monstrous power, the reason for our evolution. And for a thousand years, he reigned over this land._

 _There was one thing he did not expect, however. Of all the ways he envisioned squashing revolutions and revolts, one thing had escaped his mind. A threat to his immortality. After a thousand years, after a hundred revolts, he saw the end of his reign to betrayal. His knights, his loyal lieutenants, his confidants and guards, took his key, and after stripping him of his power, killed him. They sealed him and his treasure away, hiding it under the dunes of the Eastern Sands, and locked it all with their own key of sacrificial blood, shimmering emerald, and a cask of ivory to hide it away. With the king's death, the age ended, and the people of the world, looked not to the death of their past, but the hopes of their future…"_

The silence at her ending the tale, was short lived.

"The knights, how many?" The wolf asked, a monotonous tone concealing his mood.

"Four. Sir Gladihorn the buffalo, the leader of the group; the Hunter-wolf Pawtorias, their tracker; Lord Fauxfang, the vulpine swordsman; and Lady Earwings, rabbit and skilled assassin. Together, these 'knights' as they were called, were given immortality just like their king, and served him faithfully. Unlike their sire, as it turns out, they were honourable and just, as their liege sadly found out the hard way." The tiny rat chuckled at the last comment, sarcastic humour carrying a dark yet justified insult.

"Pawtorias died guarding the catacombs, correct?" His tone remained emotionless.

"Yes, he did."

"How?" His question was blunt.

"When they sealed the king away with his treasure among treasures, they disconnected from it; they lost its touch of immortality. Age would naturally kill them off, one at a time." He already knew that, so her response was held nothing knew to him. Continuing his questions, he kept on looking, determined to find the answer for which he was looking.

"Gladihorn sacrificed one of his horns for the ivory case to hold the key, and Fauxfang made it out of one of Pawtorias's emerald arrow heads. What did Earwings contribute?" His face serious and cold. Decades of searching for answers had revealed most of them, and led him right back to the old rat for the last piece.

"Her life, my dear boy. Her blood was that which sealed the tomb." The malice was well hidden under the tiny rodent's high pitched whisper, but their was a sadistic pleasure still quite apparent on her comment. Nodding his head, he showed no signs of surprise, nor the frustration that was boiling underneath his calm exterior. He simply got up, and began to walk away, seemingly content. As he moved towards the door, an ocelot walked towards her, stepping out of the corner of the room. Before exiting, he turned slightly, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"To be expected. Thank you for all of your help, you've been an excellent hostess." His farewell was direct, without so much as a hint to her impending demise.

"Hehe… thank you, although, I don't think I did much. Feel free to come back anytime." Her chuckle wasn't much more than a gasp and huff. Turning back around, whispering under his breath, he knew he wouldn't.

"Why would I? It would be odd to visit a dead person." He growled lightly as he limped out of the hut, and the door closed with the ocelot still inside. His steps grew quiet, and soon the night was filled with the squeals of a tiny mammal, surprised and fighting for it's short life.

* * *

Two uniquely coloured foxes walked through the back alley streets of the grand city, sticking to the less traveled and far less civilized parts of the town. They were completely different, despite being twins. The larger of the two was massive, larger than most wolves. Most would mistake him as such, too. But upon closer inspection, his ears and head and fur and tail marked him as a definite vulpine. His black fur accented his deep, sapphire blue eyes and gray inner ears. The much smaller vixen next to him was the opposite. Being small for a fox of her species, she was a little less than half her brother's height. Her pristine white fur almost sparkled in the light of day. However, her blood red eyes contrasted the seemingly innocent look given off by her coat. They both wore close fitting trench coats, an odd mark displayed on the back close to the neck. Were there a casual observer, they would've immediately marked the two as a danger. However, there wasn't one, despite the population density of Zootopia. They continued their walk in silence, and reached a cul de sac and dead end, with what they were looking for hanging out at the end.

"Well boys, looky what we have here. Visitors…" A large group of mammals hung around the area. The speaker, a Puma, was the largest of the group. A handful of Lynxes, Cheetahs, and smaller mammals all perked up at the comments. Turning to look at the new comers, they got ready a couple of blunt objects ready as weapons. This display put a smile on the vixen's mouth.

"I don't know where you came from, but unless you want a beating, I would turn back around. We're full on members."

"Hehehe… we're here for neither. We don't dish in, but rather dish out." The cute little giggle had a dark, eerie undertone. She continued.

"Savage says hallo. He asked us to bring you a little message…" the mention of the name caused the opposing group to freeze in terror. She let it sink in for a second.

"He's so confused as to why you've stopped paying your fees." She tilted her head and twitched her ears, closing her eyes to further portray a cute little fox. Regaining his composure, the Puma spoke up again.

"Savage has no power here. He hasn't in the longest time. His protection means nothing, and with Bogo cracking down, we doubt that he can back up his threats. Now..." he stood up, coming to his full height, towering over the girl and taller than her large brother, "get out." The air was tense, and everyone was silent. The confidence of the opposing group was rising, with the composure of the two vulpines never wavering. After a short standstill, the brother finally spoke up, a monotoned voice filling the space.

"Most of you are going to die. If you want to increase your chance of survival, leave now." At that, their hosts laughed. That's when they burst into action. Well, at least the girl did. Dashing at her targets, her arms blurred as three throwing knives flashed out from her paws, slamming into two of the felines in front of her. Two of the blades buried themselves in a hyena's neck, causing him to fall back, his eyes rolling in his head and lead pipe falling out of his paw. The other, a larger mountain lion, was only hit with one, its blade lodged in his shoulder, causing him to stagger and scream in pain, but stay standing. The rest of the pack launched at the pair, howling at the assault on their friends. The black fox waited for them to get in close before whipping out sleek and simple looking tanto, cutting down the closest two mammals reaching for him. The otter and lynx fell with quiet gurgles as the blades sliced through their necks with virtually no effort. Twisting, he sent the pommel directly into another gang member, knocking the cheetah aside and then jumped into the fray. The two were outnumbered, but their foes felled quickly as the highly trained and deadly assassins seemed perfectly content with killing mammals, something that their foes weren't as used to. The female pulled out a two larger knives and joined her brother in cutting down the rivals. The group quickly went from almost two dozen to just one; the Puma, badly beaten, huffed, breathing heavily. He had cuts up and down his body, his clothes torn and ripped.

"So, what did you say 'bout not being able to follow through on threats?" the white fox giggled, her innocent appearance promoting a growl from the cat. Her brother walked up next to her, his coat and exposed fur matted with blood. He, unlike his little sister, who avoided dousing her fur and clothes in the red liquid, he was perfectly willing to get messy.

"Although, we did say al-most, but I think we got them all. Would that still count?" Her terrifyingly dark joke got nothing but scoff from her brother. At that, Puma collapsed to his knees, exhausted and on the verge of bleeding out. His bleary and fading sight passing over his loyal followers, all of whom were in similar or worse conditions than his. Tears streaming down his face, he didn't even register the black fox walking up to him, the clicking of the gun he brandished, or it even being jutted against his forehead. The shot was loud, the sound ringing and bouncing off the stone walls of the buildings around them. With a little giggle from the girl, they left, their coats flapping behind them.

* * *

The large grey wolf looked down at the bloodbath as ZPD officers ran around, documenting the scene. Lifting a pipe to his maw, he let his frown take over his face, an obvious feeling of annoyance. The wolf had been away from the city, and even the nation, for sometime. He had hoped his return wouldn't be on the tail of assassins, but fate had other plans. The gruesome murders in front of him was his reason for returning home, and the canine wasn't happy about it. He heard a massive mammal behind him, and turned to see the cape buffalo walking towards him. Turning to face the towering mountain of a person, he lifted his paw, greeting the chief as formally warm as possible.

"Chief Bogo, I am Special Agent Sif Pawtorias. I hope we can help each other on this investigation." Bogo took his paw and shook it, a faintly veiled irritation on his face.

"Can I ask why a secret agent outside of city pay records is in my jurisdiction at all?" Sighing, Pawtorias stroked the back of his neck, straining to meet the buffalo eye to eye.

"Chief, this goes outside the city limits. Even beyond the outlining limits. I'm here because I've been tracking and studying the mammals responsible for that," he explained, pointing to the scene behind him. Bogo, finally taking a moment to study it, caught his jaw before it could drop too far. Stifling a growl, he looked back at the wolf, and spoke up again.

"What do you need?" Bogo relented, realizing just how extreme the situation was. Such severe violence was rare in the city, so much so that Bogo had only two murder cases under his belt, and had only given out two as police chief. And this blood bath was beyond anything he had ever seen. He wasn't used to handing command of a situation over to others, having only really done it once since becoming police chief, and only because that blasted fox could talk himself out of death's hands after being hit blown up and drowned, but this was something he simply didn't know how to handle.

"I'm going to need you to hand over your best detectives, and as many resources as you have. Informants, contacts, forensics, everything. Oh, and I need you to tell these guys to not touch anything until you do." He jabbed his thumb back again to the officers running around. Grunting, Bogo's response was quick.

"I'll tell them to not move anything. As for the detectives, you might have to wait until tomorrow for them. My best are out celebrating tonight."


	2. Chapter 1

"CHEERS!" The group of officers slammed their mugs together, causing beer and soda to spill on the table. It was unusual to see ZPD officers gathered in such a merry way. The officers today were gathered around a large table, taking up most of the space in the bar, with the two smallest at the center of the group. Delgato, Francine, Fangmeyer, and other huddled around the star of the day, as Judy practically hung on his arm.

"Alright, alright, alright. No need to drown me before my first assignment as 'detective'." Nick smirked at his comrades as they continued to laugh and smile at their mostly spilled beers. Leaning back, he took a swig from his own cup, filled with a sparkling juice, not beer (no one ever got a straight answer why he didn't drink). The conversation went on, everyone sharing tales of past pursuits or previous cases, and the more… intoxicated officers willing to slip up and talk about current ones. Nick laughed at the thought of Bogo being here and hearing the numerous security violations.

"What's my dumb fox laughing at now?" Judy quipped as she started to down another one of her fruity beverages. She wasn't one to drink heavy drinks, but over the past couple of months Nick had noticed that she was perfectly willing to get hammered on girly smoothies once a week. In fact, when she was promoted to detective just a week and a half prior, Nick had to keep her from celebrating too hard, lest her first day have been a hungover nightmare.

"Nothing, Carrots. Just thinking of the fit Bogo would have if he heard those two talking about the cat burglar case in a bar like this. Oh, that would be a big one." He chuckled again as Fangmeyer and Francine stopped in the middle of their comments, realizing how correct the little fox was. Their brief looks of horror were quickly replaced with laughs as everyone seemed to not really care. The celebration continued like this for several hours, and when Clawhauser finally arrived, doughnuts were added to the mix of now mostly drunken cops. Despite originally being a congratulations for the newly promoted detective, everyone seemed to forget about work and focus on having fun, leaving Nick the opportunity to stay out of the limelight that he so loathed. But, like with the past 4 months of his new career, he was unable to get out of the limelight of a very specific bunny. Now, a very specific drunk bunny.

"Where are you goin', Fuzz Tail?" Her slightly slurred words and flirtatious eyes singled that the last gulp finally pushed her over the edge. Nick couldn't help but laugh at her. She really was, well, cute like this. Not like he would say it, especially after what happened last time. Who knew by valedictorian she meant best in all of her classes, not just overall? Before he could say anything, the bunny began to saunter over to him, and as she did, he noticed the wobble in her step, and realized she wasn't going to make it. Dashing to her, he scooped her up the moment she slipped, causing a small chorus of 'awws' to erupt from their fellow officers and a torrent of questions from an obviously oblivious yet subsequently curious Clawhauser. Grinning sheepishly at his peers, he chuckled and shook his head at the little rabbit in his arms.

"Looks like I'm not going anywhere without you, especially when you're walking on those shaky little carrot legs." As a second wave of 'awws' coupled with some laugh began to overcome the crowd, Nick picked up the girl bridal style and began to walk off with her. Her giggles and bright pink blush was adorable, and caused protests to the now leaving fox.

"Now now, we all know what happens when our favourite little detective here gets too loopy. Last thing we need is another bunny ears bow complaint." The allusion to the last time earned a hearty round of cheers from the officers, and as he walked out the door they hollered their goodbyes out the door after him. No one really noticed the couple of officers who snuck out after them.

The two heroes were easily recognized and spotted by the few other mammals on the streets in their walk back to Judy's little apartment. They filled the night air with friendly banter and almost gag-worthy cutesy-ness. The walk ended up being rather quick with them filling the time.

"Hahaha. I-I think I can walk just fine now, thanks you very mush." The rabbit requested to be set down at her door as they arrived. An uncomfortable silence crept in on their company. Trying to avoid it, Nick cleared his throat, and shifted his eyes from hers.

"Haha… I'm glad we had this time. Still a little worried you might collapse on the stairs though." He chuckled at the thought, and her little pouty glare. Despite her being set down, on her own two feet, she was still pressed up against him, his arms tightly wrapped around her. They were quite literally millimeters from each other, his snout so close to hers, their hearts beating against each other. It was in the few moments like moments like these that Nick really loved being so much bigger than her, being able to engulf her entirely and hold her so close… It seemed like they held their embrace for a lifetime before the scattering of leaves behind them caused the moment to be shattered.

"I guess I should be getting up to my place, huh?" She stared into his eyes, as he stared back, procrastinating the separation. Despite that though, a night time breeze sent a newspaper into the side of his face, forcing his hands to remove it, letting go of whom he so desperately wanted to hold onto. She backed up a couple steps, looked him up and down, slightly biting her lower lip and stifling her leg, keeping it from thumping. As he crumpled the newspaper and tossed it aside, she leaned against the door, her back to it, an internal struggle raging just underneath her slightly calmer exterior. Again, time slowed as they refused walk away, each one trying to build up the courage to make a move. But tonight simply wasn't their night. Silently sighing, Nick realized nothing was going to change this evening, so putting on his most charming smirk, he motioned to leave.

"Welp, my little Carrots, I've gotta go. I'm gonna need a whole new wardrobe now that I don't have to wear that uniform to work anymore. Make sure to get some water down before going to sleep. Goodnight." He turned to walk off, his cocky swagger lacking a certain spring in the steps. Checking him out one more time, Judy couldn't stop herself from calling out his name.

"Nick, wait! I… umm…" she started off, unable to finish her sentence as he turned back around to grin at her. As he did so her heart stopped and fluttered, and when he leaned against the pole next to him, in his normal cool guy pose, she simply felt her courage abandon her. Thinking fast, she made an exit.

"I-just-wanted-to-say-goodnight!" She swung the door to her apartment building open and darted inside, barely escaping his chuckle. The auburn fox shook his head in amusement as he walked away from her apartment building, laughing at the predicament. As he did, his ears twitched and turned slightly, catching the small sounds of two larger predators walking behind him.

"Okay guys, you can stop hiding, it's getting sort of ridiculous now." He slowed and turned to see both Fangmeyer and Wolford trying their best to remain silent, stalking him in the night.

"Dammit! I told you he would hear us." Fangmeyer shoved Wolford, playfully, of course. At least, that's what Nick was hoping.

"Well of course I'm going to hear you. But I smelled you first. Not even Judy smelled that badly of tequila." He remarked as he continued to walk backwards, letting them catch up. They shot glances at each other, trying to figure out which one he was talking about, but soon jogged to close the distance between themselves and the fox, much to the displeasure of Nick's nose. Clearing his throat, Wolford finally spoke up.

"So, when are you two actually gonna… you know, get it over with? You guys have been doing this will they won't they crap for almost a year and it's slightly annoying now." He dodged the glare sent at him by his larger friend.

"Wolford, you really have no idea how things work, do you? In our little bubble at the precinct we've gotten used to their antics and obvious relationship, but I don't need to tell you how many times we get calls about rumours of interspecies romance aggravating one neighborhood or another. I must have been called into at least three fights about it this week. And with them being heroes and in the public eye even more than us, that could really cause some problems." Fangmeyer spoke, the authority in his voice complementing his complete analysis of the situation. But Nick disagreed.

"Eh, I think you're wrong about that one." The vulpine's nonchalance not yet getting to cocky.

"How so?" The larger mammal looked down at Nick, an annoyed scowl on his face

"Well, we're heroes. Who's going to turn on a hero? Do I look unlikeable?" Now he was getting cocky. "So I'm certain whenever it happens public outrage won't be as bad as we've dealt with before. The one problem is that Judy has this weird thing about being the first to do something, and she wants to be the first to make a move in that regard. So, I'll wait. She keeps getting more and more... let's say she keeps lingering." With this little comment, the three officers laughed and ended their night, blissfully unaware of tomorrow's changes.

* * *

Judy dashed up the stairs to her apartment and bolted inside so fast no one would've even recognized her; she was just a blur of grey and white and blue. Slamming herself against her door in an attempt to keep out the no one following her, she waited a moment to catch her with emotions, adrenaline, and alcohol, she needed that moment. The pumped up energy and stress faded, and she collapsed, sliding down the door into a crumpled mess. She could barely hold her tears back, much less stand. After **that** moment she finally sniffed and collected herself, ready to get ready, alone yet again. She kicked herself as she walked to her bathroom. The apartment was larger than the one she had first moved into, all those months ago. The improvement had been arranged by Nick, Bogo, and secretly, Mr. Big, as a thank you and reward for coming back to the city. It had four real rooms; kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, and was more than large enough for the tiny mammal. Truth be told, Judy constantly felt that it was too big for her to be living alone here, as she was always shaking the feeling of isolation. She craved companionship, and she knew just who she wanted to share the space with. Whenever she found herself alone in the apartment it was impossible for her to think about anyone other than the charming conning fox. But the risk that came with such a change… it terrified her to openly admit it. Most of it she was willing to face; the uncertainty of the relationship and the lash back from her family. While she could get away with the practically couple-style relationship Nick and Judy enjoyed at work and around just the other officers, she knew the public eye might not be so forgiving. But, every day, she sat so close to him, listened to his charming voice, sly witticisms, and cocky attitude. Not to mention how much more… defined he got through the Academy. She hadn't seen much, as she was still quite easily embarrassed, but what she had seen was enough to make her wonder, especially when they were sitting in the office all day catching up on paperwork. This made the usually highly efficient officer more or less as fast as the lazy fox she so fondly thought of.

The tiny detective dragged herself to her bathroom, her movements heavy and laboured. As she made her way, she slowly undressed, using her shirt to wipe up the tears that had begun to dry on her face. She showered quickly, brushed her teeth, and began to get into bed when a familiar voice rang in her head, _'make sure to get some water before going to sleep'_.

"Of course Nick, I promise I won't. I'll get it now." She murmured to herself as she turned around and stalked back to the kitchen. She downed a glass and a half, and then another as the feeling of her sore and dry throat made itself apparent. When she was sure she had enough water to avoid a massive hangover the next morning, she finally crawled into bed and fell asleep, trying hard to not let the subtle tears spill over.

* * *

Judy had been licensed a brand new crimson _Rocketpaw_ from _Furred Motors_ , partially on the department dime and partially on city hall. However, she hadn't had much of a reason to use it as Bogo kept her at the station so much. Now though, with a partner, she might actually get the chance. As they walked into the bullpen that day, their banter keeping them occupied, the other officers noticed something they hadn't. The large, grey, armed wolf in a black trench coat and dark grey vest with black trousers and boots that stood in the corner behind the slightly perturbed and unorganized Bogo. However, when he cleared his throat, everything settled in quite quickly on the duo.

"So… (the buffalo flipped through folders) Francine and Grizzoli, continue on clean up from the races case, Higgins and McHorn, there was an attempted B&E in a shop in Sahara Square. Fangmeyer, Delgato, and Snarlof, you're on patrol and to check in with Precinct 3 as they're dealing with a special case and need support with their normal business. All of you are dismissed." He said, almost leaving Nick and Judy dumbfounded, before quickly motioning them to his office. As they followed him, they noticed that the new wolf did too, his quiet and long strides unsettled the smaller mammals. His grey fur in several places on his face parted slightly, revealing nasty scars. His reinforced footwear also unnerved them, with the sheer oddity. When they finally got back to the chief's office, they climbed into a seat and waited for an explanation. When Bogo sat in his chair and started to pull out more paperwork, the wolf finally said something, and his outburst was not all that friendly.

"Are you holding out on me, Bogo? I thought I had your full cooperation." He growled lightly. Bogo snapped back defensively, intriguing surprising and almost irritating his loyal detectives.

"You do. You asked for my best detectives. These are my only detectives, and I would vouch that them to be just what you asked for."

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with the word games, Bogo. I know how things have worked here, and I'm well aware that they were promoted at the behest of your new mayor. I need more than them." He waved his paw at the two, but otherwise ignored their presence. Before Bogo could shoot back, Nick spoke up, and Judy soon followed.

"Ahem, ya know, those two are actual living beings with fairly good hearing, and I don't think it would kill you to quiet down just a bit and actually talk to us"

"Sir, whoever you are, we aren't just token mammals. We've proven ourselves-" she was cut off though, the wolf simply not having it.

"Oh, spare me the speech. This has nothing to do with your race or species. But your experience. No doubt both of you being the valedictorians of your classes and one of you being the highest scorer in Academy history got you to think you could handle everything out in this world, but let me ask you a question" he growled as he snatched the file from Bogo, seemingly even overpowering him, "did the academy ever prepare you for this?" he hissed as he slammed the folder down on the table and opened it to the pictures of the scene. As the mammals looked down at it their stomachs turned, and they grimaced at the sight. The bloodbath in the picture sent waves of disgust over them, and while they tried so hard to keep their composure, their facade began to crack when he turned to the next one. The mutilated bodies of a dozen mammals were all captured as plain as day by the picture, and their faces showed their unsettled emotions. But they held fast and true, earning a scoff from the wolf, after which he pulled up a seat to the side of Bogo's desk. The buffalo grunted, and spoke up again.

"Now that that's out of the way, Detectives, this is Special Agent Sif Pawtorias, of Zoolandia Special Intelligence Services." With that, it hit them. The reason he held so much authority, his odd clothing choice, his insight into their lives, all of it became understandable. The Zoolandia organization was a government body that controlled the outlying areas beyond Zootopia's greater county limits. What was known about the organization was that the head, known as Presidential Chief, was voted on by the Mayor of Zootopia and representatives from each of the county boroughs. He was tasked with keeping the peace outside of Zootopia, to avoid any outside problems from entering the city. If their was a special agent from that high up on the ladder here, then something was very, _**VERY**_ wrong here. The detectives glanced at the figure again, who was not leaning back in his seat and puffing on an old timey pipe. Gulping, they looked back at Bogo, who simply sighed and continued.

"As you can see, the reason for him being here, isn't a congratulatory one. Yesterday at about 19:46, Precinct 3 got a call about a gunshot. That's very much out of the ordinary, even for the area, so it was immediately reported to me. Not soon afterwards, President Chief Porgrill contacted me personally, and requested I meet his agent down at the crime scene. From what you see before you, I hope you realize it wasn't a pleasant scene. That's where I was informed of the situation, and why you're here now. He requires assistance in his investigation, and you are to provide him with anything he requires. Do you understand?" He spoke slowly and carefully, making sure the detectives followed along. After he was sure they understood, he continued, going through the overarching details of the case.

"So, like I said, Precinct 3 got a call about a gunshot in the outskirts of Forestedfields. The small town there has long been overrun by gangs and criminals, and while fighting occasionally breaks out, guns and other lethal weapons never show up on the scene. The victims of this crime," Nick and Judy looked down at the massacre, "were high ups from a group known as the Red Devil Cartel, with theses guys being a small branch of their enforcers. Recently, the Red Devil's have come on hard times, and it seems as though another faction took an opportunity. With these leaders dead, the rest of the gang will most likely be swallowed up by neighboring factions. However, that's just the official report. Agent Pawtorias believes the the killers to be from outside Zootopia original jurisdiction, and connected to his investigation. Normally, ZSIS doesn't have authority here, but even the Mayor has given him complete control over the situation. As I said before, your primary goal is to aid Agent Pawtorias in anyway possible. Your secondary objective though is to confiscate and neutralize any firearms that have the possibility of falling into the wrong hands. Understood?" Their slow nods barely satisfied him, but he knew they were probably a bit overwhelmed, and didn't expect much better. Sighing, he dismissed all four of them, and watched as Pawtorias led them to his temporary office. As they left, a shiver crawled over his skin, followed closely by a wave of exhaustion. As it did, he grabbed a bottle of fine whiskey from under his desk, a gift from the former mayor Lionheart. Pouring himself a glass, he pressed the small red button on his phone, and allowed a second before speaking to the cheetah on the other side.

"Clawhauser, I'm taking the rest of the day off. I've put in paperwork for Hopps's and Wilde's high security clearance. Make sure. It gets put through in the next hour, or very bad things will happen." His threat was simple and blunt, do both to the weight of the order and his own fatigued mind. There was a moment of buzzing, and then Clawhauser responded.

"Oh, okay then. I'll make sure it's done. Umm.. are you alright sir? I-" Bogo didn't even bother listening to him the rest of the way. He turned off his phone, computer, lights, and walked out the door.

* * *

The group of three sat in a small conference room that Sif had commandeered for his personal and private use. Black out curtains lined the windows both into the rest of the building and the outside, and boxes of files, folders, notes, and paperwork were scattered everywhere. As the detective duo sat down, they quickly looked around and mentally marked down the many papers they saw. The agent started to tidy up a bit before sitting down across from them, staring at them, sizing them up, and finally, breaking the silence.

"First and foremost, to make myself crystal clear. I don't give a damn about your species. I don't care about stereotypes, preconceptions, social formalities, or anything of the sort. I'm here because I have a job to do it and I expect that any partner I have, be it a lion or a mouse, hold themselves to my standards of work efficiency. Understood?" Their sharp nods allowed him to continue.

"Secondly, this case involves leaves of classified information you didn't even know existed, and therefore will not be spoken of outside the three of us. Most of it even your Chief isn't aware of nor will he ever be aware of, and it will stay that way unless the complete case is solved. Is that understood?" Their nods were slower this time, but just as reassuring. He didn't bother pausing to make sure, even if they weren't.

"And finally, before we get to that part, I must warn you. In my nearly twenty-two years on this case, I've had over half a dozen partners. Only one is in good health, and most of the others are dead. And, unlike officers that die on duty and the honours they're awarded, my former partners are simply names on a list with the letters KIA next to them. This is not the place for heroics, nor is it the job for fame or public highlights. I know you're both celebrities already, but while on this case you are to ignore the public and follow my lead. Is that understood?" He expected some hesitancy, some sign form of fear. Nearly all of the others showed some sign of it. But they surprised him. Instead, he saw a calm composure with strong nods and complete understanding. The slightest twitch in his lips would've broken into a smile, had he bothered to let it. Instead, he delved into the details of the case.

"For the past twenty-two years, I've been tracking the actions and attempting to locate the whereabouts of a powerful crime lord named Arkous Savage," he slid a picture of the dark grey wolf to his new partners and then continued, "in an attempt to dismantle his criminal empire. I'm well aware of your dealing with the mafia boss in Tundratown, Mr. Big, but in comparison, Mr. Big is tiny. In fact. For the past twenty years, Savage has been extorting copious amounts of money from the mafia patriarch for 'protection'. It would seem that around twenty years ago, Savage got his hands on some new toys, and ever since the Fauxfang Fire Incident, has had a real power hold over the gangs in the city." With this, the two detectives each had different questions to ask. Nick got his out first, almost blurting it out.

"Wait, what do the Fauxfangs have to do with this?" His shifting was unusual to Judy, who was so used to the fox's cocky demeanor that she almost never saw him unnerved. But the fact that he was in the know on something made her more concerned about getting her question answered before exploring his.

"No, wait, who are the Fauxfangs? What the Fauxfang Fire Incident?" She interrupted, her hands cutting into the conversation, pulling attention onto her. Sighing, Sif ran his paw through his fur on his head, then rubbed his neck, keeping himself calm. IN that moment, Nick regained his composure, and Judy became a tad bit more flustered, but the wolf answered her question to keep her calm as well.

"The Fauxfangs were an exceptionally old family of foxes that resided in Vixshire. The family could trace their ancestry back before the founding of either Zoolandia or Zootopia, and in were among the few to still hold a title of Lordship from those olden days. Their patronage was freely given to most of the city, and Vixshire was the center the fox population here in the city. The last patriarch of the family, Lord Xalas Fauxfang, was a big player in the city. He worked hard to fight the stereotypes of not just foxes, but countless other species as well, and was the original architect of the Mammal Inclusion Initiative. However, what most didn't know, was that his primary dealings were with both the ZSIS and ZPD in attempts of dismantling large crime syndicates. With his private resources and the authority of the two public agencies, he was quite efficient." Judy listened intently, wondering why she hadn't known all of this previously. With her attention so squarely on Pawtorias, Nick's subtle fidgets went unnoticed.

"This golden age of his wasn't to last though. One day, twenty-one years ago, a fight broke out between two small gangs in Vixshire. In the ensuing gunfight, the heirs to the ancient house were killed. The impact on the city of having the two darlings of such beloved nobility was swift and painful. The entire city mourned for him, but as preparations were made for their funeral and the ZPD was busy looking for their killers, Savage took the opportunity to rid himself of a powerful opponent. He organized riots in the streets, and in the confusion, razed Fauxfang mansion to the ground. Lord Xalas died in the fire, and everything he had worked for burned with his home. With his death, communication between Xalas's intelligence network, the ZPD, and the ZSIS broke down, and while his Mammal Inclusion Initiative survived, its current incarnation is a weak and watered down version of the program he had envisioned." At that, the small mammal's ears dropped, a feeling of guilty inching it's way through her. Pawtorias either didn't notice, or simply didn't care, and continued.

"All in all, the destruction of family was the biggest blow to law and order and simple equality of Zootopia history, and in his stead, crime syndicates like Savage's has prospered greatly. He left such a stamp on the city that the mansion still lies in in ruin, the courtyard of the Infinite Fountain allowed to fall still. A statue was dedicated to him in city hall, and to ensure such a tragedy never occurred again, Zootopia passed such extreme gun laws that they've practically been banned from the city in not in the hands of law enforcement." A silence fell over them again, as Judy absorbed what she had just been told. She didn't realized that there was so much history to the city she didn't know, and was having a hard time keeping it all together. She glanced at Nick, but couldn't read him. At some point, the fox put his his sunglasses back on, and now his face was practically unreadable. After a few moments, Sif continued, getting back to the case at hand.

"Now that that little piece of backstory is out of the way, we can get down to business. Like I said, two decades ago, Arkous got his hands on two new recruits, both highly trained, efficient, and quite deadly. He used them to intimidate his rivals and further expand his power. His activity in the city didn't last long though. Fifteen years ago he vacated the city entirely, without a single direct link back. My former partners and I have ascertained several locations he's visited; ancient tombs, ruins from incredibly old cities, and world heritage sites across the globe." Nick finally spoke up, his cockiness and comedic side showing through again.

"Well, maybe he's opening a museum? How bad would that be? Asides from the incredible amounts of boredom that would make…" the remark wasn't funny, and a small voice crack while he was making it caused Hopps some concern. Sif scowled at him, huffed, and continued.

"Last year though, my partner at the time, a rabbit named Jack Savage (of no relation to the wolf we're investigating), was able to find his then current whereabouts. He and I moved into apprehend Arkous, but he escaped. In his escape attempt, we discovered that his two operatives were canines. One black one white, one female one male. Based on the sizes, we guessed a wolf with odd colouration and an arctic fox." He explained. However, Judy didn't understand a couple of things, and voiced them outloud.

"Wait, who was this Jack Savage? And why does it sound like you don't actually know who they are if you encountered them?" Her questions were fairly obvious, and made Pawtorias realize there was a lot to this case he was going to have to go over.

"Jack Savage was a former crime lord working out of the bunny boroughs. He had a controlling interest on narcotics and illegal drugs in the area. A friend of mine, a fellow agent, was tasked to bringing him into custody. When he did, and it was revealed that Jack had worked with Arkous several times, I stepped in. Normally when the ZSIS catches someone that high up, they're put down. However, I gave him an out. Work with me, he gets to live. Of course he took it, and using his network helped the investigation greatly. As for why we haven't exactly ID'ed the suspects, the only time we've ever encountered them was in that one case, and it wasn't even me who stumbled upon them. At some point during our infiltration of the compound, Arkous had his agents plant explosives to level the entire structure. When Jack came across them, the smoke from the fire was messing with his head, and clouded his vision. All he remembered the next day was their fur colour, approximate size, and that they were canines. That was a little over a month ago, or, that was when he woke up from his coma. I left him where he was to keep digging there, just to see what he could find while on bed rest." The wolf explained, and sat, waiting for more questions. When none came, he closed his eyes and ran his paw through his fur again, expecting for the dumbfounded or worried looks on his new companions to remain there, but when he opened them, he was pleasantly surprised (and amused). The two ZPD detectives had picked up the folder on Arkous Savage and were reading through it. Deciding to watch them work for a couple minutes, he held back, and allowed them to do so. Nick was quite the talker, but Judy was just as interesting despite her lack of speech during their little reading session. She knew before Nick even got a word in whether or not the comment would be worthwhile and if not, would grab his mouth to silence him.

"Okay okay okay! I'll stop. You don't have to muzzle me anymore. I have no idea how your boyfriends responded to that kind of grip strength…" his comment prompted a glare from his smaller companion. However, he ignored her, and directed his question to Sif.

"So what is this guy after? If he's not making a museum he has some weird habits." His joke aside, the question was a worthwhile one.

"We don't know for sure. He hasn't made his intent known. And so far, I haven't been able to connect any of the places he's been to. All we know is that he's looking for something. And whatever it is, he must not find it."

* * *

 **BIG thanks to Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, who first recommended I cut this chapter down, and make a couple of the edits I did.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hallo. Sorry that this chapter is shorter than the previous one. I'm kind of being super stressed out from schoolwork paperwork for workwork and paranoia. Damn real world problems... well, here's another chapter for you.**

* * *

The group worked diligently throughout the day, with Sif answering questions the new pair had as they went through the countless notes and folders and files. They continually surprised and entertained the wolf with their antics and their ability to not lose sight of the task at hand. And while they hadn't yet had any insight or thought that the agent hadn't, they were off to an awfully impressive start. They finished their catch up quickly, and when Pawtorias was done questioning them to make sure they had an adequate understanding of the case, he knew for sure that he was in for more than he originally bargained for. _This is going to be interesting…_

* * *

"You're late…" hissed a brownish black rat. Of course, the two foxes in front of him didn't care. As he was about to go off on a tirade, the speakers in the room let out a crunching, static sound, signalling a change in the atmosphere. A projector on the ceiling turn on at the same time, causing the rodent to turn. Standing behind him, was a grey wolf, or the hologram of. The mammal was leaning heavily on his walking stick, and a devious grin hung on his face. The hologram looked down at the rat, before smiling even more at the nervous swallow it tried to hide.

" _Remember, these are my people. Not yours. I'm letting you_ borrow _their services. You'll treat them nicely or else they'll do you in just as they did in your rivals. Got it?"_ The rat gulped again, shifting his eyes from the foxes to the hologram wolf and back. Chuckling, the wolf no longer paid him any mind. Turning back to _his_ people, be continued talking to the to vulpines.

" _Now, as for your main objective, I'm pleased to inform you that Agent Pawtorias has picked up your scent, and is in the city with you. It seems though that that nuisance bunny friend of his is still back in Tri-Boroughs. You have a new job; harass him. You are to stay in the city until I recall you, even if you complete everything else for you to do there."_ The raspy voice had a touch of static in the background, lending to the air of ominous foreboding.

"What if we kill your little agent friend?" The white fox grin, her voice dripping with venom.

" _You won't. To be honest with you, my loyal pets, I'll be surprised if you both survive the month. Good-bye…"_ With that, the hologram shut down, winking out of sight, and the speakers around the room went silent, not even projecting the hissing that preceded the conversation. The surprise and worry on the foxes' faces was gone after a couple of nanoseconds, replaced by excitement on one and complete indifference on the other. Zootopia was about to change…

* * *

Pawtorias sat cramped in the back seat of their outlandishly luxury vehicle. It was a smaller model, as the two that used it were smaller mammals, but the colour and silk seats made it all too… celebrity status for the agent, who was far more used to the blacks and fake leathers and large SUV's that were standard issue in most (practically all) other law enforcement. Although, there was that one time he was given a nice limo for a certain black tie event…

"Okay, we're coming on Tundratown. Special request for our special agent, Judy is this guy's family, he doesn't know you, doesn't like me, so unless you want to end up sleeping with some arctic fishies in a skunk butt rug, let her talk." The fox spoke up, saying the first thing directed at the wolf in the past half an hour. Perking up and looking at the fox, the thought crossed his mind why something so specific, but declined to ask.

"I'm well aware of Miss Hopps's almost illegal relationship with the Big family. I won't do anything to jeopardize it. But we are not to leave without information. Anything useful and new will suffice." His response was quick to the point but for some reason slightly unnerving.

"Weeeell, I don't know which of you will be the rock or the hard place, but I so hope you put one of his polar bears in the middle. Now that would be a show." Nick quipped as they sped through the icy district. Judy raised an eyebrow and chuckled, glancing sideways at the two canines.

It wasn't long before they got to the mobster's residence. Their car was easily recognizable by security, and they were allowed in almost immediately. All the while Nick attempted to read the face of the large wolf, to no success. _He's so closed it makes me look like an open book…_ glancing at Judy, he got the feeling she was thinking the same about their special friend. They walked up to the mansion, where the Kevin met them, offering them some champagne and cheese. Interestingly enough, Mr. Big was also waiting for them, in the room they originally met.

"Ahh, well isn't it the godmother of my grandchild. You really do come by at the most interesting times. I was just finishing up a meeting when you stopped by. To what do I owe the pleasure?" the tiny mole welcomed them, but when his eyes fell on Pawtorias, his mood altered, and for the first time in Nick's life, he saw the crime boss twitch in fear. Before anything else could be said, the agent pulled out a very intricate looking badge, and spoke up for himself.

"I'm special agent Sif Pawtorias. I'm working on a case dealing with a rival of yours, Arkous Savage. Detective Wilde thought you might be able to help us help you." He smooth and fluid voice seemed to calm the mole, and his half-truth caused Nick and Judy to perk up for a second. There was a tense silence for a second, after which the mole turned to Judy to ask a question.

"And, why is it darling, that you didn't think of coming to me first?" the mole started poking, looking for some crack in their duct taped facade. But, after dealing with Nick for months, the bunny had picked up a few tricks.

"Well, I thought you wouldn't want to get involved, especially if Savage as dangerous as we think he is. I really didn't want to put you in harm's way, or, heaven forbid, the baby…" she emphasized that last boy, subtly but still with an added pressure. The mole sat in silence for a moment, and then responded.

"I knew I would like you, and Nick, you've reminded me why you were once in my good graces. While I appreciate your concern about my family, it would be in my best interest to help you, as to help me. I will tell you what you want to know, and more so." With this, the duo beamed, and Pawtorias got a hint of a smile.

"What can you tell us about his agents? The ones in the city? They killed two dozen gangsters yesterday and we don't have much time to find them." Judy asked, determined to not waste time.

"To start you off, it seems that you have a lot more time than usual. My friend told me just earlier this morning that their boss extended their stay in the city indefinitely. Their host was not too pleased about this." The patriarch explained, causing some curiosity on Judy's face and confusion on Sif's. Nick took it all in stride.

"Maybe they're taking some vacation days? Must be hard being a hardcore murder like that. Gotta take sometime to build the bloodlust up." He joked, taking a sip of his champagne. Elbowing him in the side, Judy shot him a glare, causing Mr. Big to laugh.

"No reason to get testy, my dear. Nicky's joking brings up an important point. My friend refused to tell me why the two are remaining here in the city. He might know though. I'll give you his name, but first, a word of warning. I don't know what you two know of these people, but let me make it clear. These aren't your normal criminals. I would give up half my fortunes for people like them." Realizing he was bordering on a legal confession, Judy tried to stop him, but he interrupted her.

"I know I shouldn't speak too much about my personal tastes on the matter, but I must make sure you realize the dangers darling. When you were first brought before me, Nicky was rightly scared. And now the tables are turned, as Savage is to me what I was to him. And those two are to Koslov as he is to the mice that were dealt with earlier today. The dangers they present are unimaginable. And if I didn't know any better, I would implore you to not continue whatever investigation this wolf has gotten you into. Seeing as you are who you are though, I'll keep that request to myself." The mole expressed his feelings on their zealous nature. Hearing his warning stirred them, though, and the two detectives remembered the photos of the blood baths they had been shown in Bogo's office. They didn't have too long to deliberate with themselves however.

"They are currently staying with a rat named Vartini. The gangsters you mentioned before were former rivals of , before we say goodbye, as I have business to attend to, I must ask you too to step out, as I need to have a word with your new friend here." Surprise coloured their faces, and Kevin stepped up to them, pressuring them to move quickly. As they were shooed out the door, Nick took out his phone, and immediately called Clawhauser.

"Hey, Benji, I need some info. What can you tell me of a rat gangster by the name Vartini?" The scarlet fox questioned over the phone. Judy ignore him though, and strained to hear the other room and it's conversation, eavesdropping on the two power players there. But for some reason, despite knowing there was nothing actually stopping her, her hearing became deadened, as if something was plugged in her ears, or, more accurately, some noise was overlaid on everything else. Frustrated, she scowled and looked at Nick, who was just hanging up and putting his phone back in his jacket pocket.

"Clawhauser gave me an address for - what's wrong Carrots? You look like someone just ate the last piece of my famous carrot cake without offering it to you first." He responded to her glare. It caused a giggle though, as she remembered his disastrous attempt at making the treat for her birthday some month prior.

"Hahaha… I'll tell you later. What did Clawhauser say?" Judy lightened up, focusing instead on the fox in front of her.

"He gave me an address for the rat. Or, a couple. He also told me that Officer Honeylemon from Precinct 2 has been on that rat's tail for a while, so before we go stepping on someone else's case we might want to go talk to him." Nick stated plainly. He never got along with the honey badger, despite only working her on a few occasions. Judy didn't know what to make of the officer, but shrugged, knowing that her feelings were neither here nor there, as they had to go see her anyway. That's when they heard the swivel of the doorknob, and turned to see the door opening. When it did, Judy's full range of hearing returned. Sif walked through, followed closely by one of Mr. Big's polar bears. However, the polar bear simply huffed and closed the door behind the wolf, leaving the three alone.

"So, you two have a relationship we ought to know about? I know there's a size difference but that ought to be a fantastic wedding. Between his money and your attitude lots of fun." Nick quipped earning a look of daggers from Judy, but Pawtorias simply shot back.

"No, we were putting together plans to set Judy up with someone else so Mr. Big would be free to ice oyu. You'll be getting a call from Jack at some point over the next few days, don't worry, you'll love him." Nick's eyes grew wide at the comment, and a look a fear played across his face as the larger canine walked past him. However, the fear hid a more important emotion as he stole a glance at his partner. This let him breathe a sigh of relief as the look of irritation and horror mingled on hers. They turned to the grey wolf and caught up to him (or in Judy's case, got a head).

"But seriously, what was that about? And why couldn't I hear anything in the room?" She asked, curious if he had any insights. Thankfully for her curiosity, he did, though, not before Nick interjected.

"Well Carrots, you might just be losing your hearing. You're not getting under younger." He dance out of the way of a swift kick from the bunny; a slightly impressive feat in the snow.

"First off, he was simply warning me. It seems as though Mr. Big knew something of my previous… adventures, and wanted to make sure I didn't repeat the pattern with you two. As to your second point, I must say I was wondering what that noise was as well. I would say the crime boss probably installed some white-noise device in that room to prevent either of you from overhearing anything that would force you to legally act." The wolf offered, trying to explain the odd incidence. This caused her some confusion as she looked at Nick, wondering. The fox was on his phone, and answered her pondering mind without looking up from it.

"Yes Carrots. Not only can I smell when you've passed the flower shop on your way to work, I can also hear your footsteps when you do." His exaggeration was obvious, but the point was made. One that made Judy realize just how little about the plethora of other animals in the city she knew. When they got back to the car and filed in, they started talking about the case again.

"So, we know where they're staying, and we know they're staying in town long term. Well, this is a new move for him. He usually doesn't let them stay away long…" the wolf furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought, concerned and confused. This brought Judy to a thought.

"Agent Pawtorias, how well do you know Arkous Savage? Does he know you're tracking him?" She said, peering in the rearview mirror to catch a glance of the cramped canine's reaction. He perked up, answered smoothly, keeping most of his reaction hidden under his exterior.

"Yes he knows I'm investigating him, why?" The wolf put two and two together a microsecond slower than his smaller allies, giving Nick a chance to to interject.

"He's baitin' ya, big guy. He knows you'll stay around here as long as they are, so he wants you to not pay attention to the squirrel behind the curtain and pay lots of attention to the big bad ghosts in front of you. Heh, thought you would've caught on to that sooner, buddy." He laughed a bit, pleased with himself.

"Ya know, you gave me a nickname after not 10 minutes of knowing me. What's so hard about coming up with one for him?" The bunny in the driver seat snapped playfully. Nick's response was two fold, and their banter gave the wolf time to process things.

"First of all, you weren't carrying to lethal firearms at the time. Secondly, you're special sweetheart. You helped me and caught me with the popsicle gig. That's definitely worth some brownie points for ya."

"And those brownie points got me a nickname? Wow, can I trade in my prize?"

"Ouch, you wound me little bunny. It took me more than a second to come up with 'Carrots', and it is definitely one of my better pieces. You should be proud of it, Officer Fluff-butt."

"Really? Fluff-butt? Coming from the owner of that fuzz-tail?"

"Ahh, so you do remember yesterday's drunken adventures?"

"Wha? I was most certainly not drunk!"

 _I never expected this…_

* * *

Their ride back was full of banter (between the two friends) and internal deliberation (in the backseat passenger). When they got back, Sif practically jumped out of the car, hoping to either stretch his legs, or, more likely, get a second away from the overabundant cuteness that were the detective. _Although, cute probably isn't the right word. Chemistry like that is hard to come by though…_ the agent thought to himself as he popped his stiff back. He stared at the two as they got out of the car, looking at them as he would a prospective contact, studying them.

The fox was a laid back character, the type that would fit well in nearly any situation. The wolf knew that he was a former swindler, hustler, and was a damned good one. How the bunny got him to give up that life was a mystery to him. But there was no doubt in his mind that the fox was definitely a good cop. He had never seen scores that high from the Police Academy, and before meeting him, thought there was some sort of cheating involved. The slick suave attitude he had developed on the street (or had innately) wasn't unfamiliar to the usually sour and serious agent, as opposed to the breath of fresh air that was the little ball of overly energetic fluff next to the smaller canine. And unlike her, he hid his emotions spectacularly, contorting himself into an extremely well closed box most of the time. However, twice had his little box opened up, if only for some few seconds. Once when the implied that he might be setting Judy up with someone, which was only to be expected with how the two acted towards each other, and the other time was when he brought up the Fauxfang family. While it foxes from Vixshire generally had a proud and protective demeanor over the family name, the wolf couldn't decide if that was all it was to the vulpine.

Detective Hopps was another story. The overly optimistic straight-shooter was a by-the-books success story. She, like her red friend, was valedictorian of her class, hand chosen by Mayor Lionheart to join Precinct 1, and even faced with continued adversity, was able to endear the hearts of the entire city through pure determination. City corruption cases tended to do that for the officers that solved them. But that wasn't the only thing. She definitely was a straight shooter. She wore her emotions on her sleeve like a badge of honour and was quick to correct her mistakes. He had read the news stories on how the two supposedly met, and noticed the inherent bigotry that made her story all the more… organic. Her story was almost fairytale-esque. Not only did she have the determination that every so focused on though, her wits were endless, as she outfoxed the conmammal several times in their big case, and seemed to always have another insight on the current one. And one of these insights were even new and useful, something the wolf hadn't expected to come around just yet.

However, all of these thoughts almost made him sad for his next move. They walked back to the commandeered conference room, their banter continuing, as they mostly ignored Sif's intense gaze. When they settled into the piles of notes and files again, they turned to him to talk about the case. He started.

"If they're here as long as they think I'm here, then that means Arkous doesn't want me snooping around to find out what he's doing. Which means I have to go find him. But, I need those two to stay here, which means we're switching cars." Pawtorias wasn't about to waste time. The two raised their eyebrows and looked at him in surprise.

"Whoa whoa whoa, I don't want to give up that car. I finally have a ride with a clever nickname!" Nick joked, obviously determined to keep his mood lighter than air.

"One, we aren't calling the car _Red Rocket_ , no matter how much I laughed the first time. Secondly, why are we switching cars? And what do you expect to find?" Judy's response to both of them left Nick with an exaggerated pout.

"I don't know. He might be hiding a contact, or gathering resources. And we have to switch cars so they think I'm still in the city. Undoubtedly they'll have eyes on you, and have had eyes on us, so convincing them that I'm still on their tail will keep them from getting to Savage for a long while. Which is why I'll be taking _Red Rocket_ ," the wolf said, winking at Nick, but refusing the smile tugging at his mouth, "and you two will have to drive my car." Knowing Judy was getting irritated, he grabbed a piece of papers, and started jotting down names and small notes next to them. When he was done, he grabbed a stick of wax and slid off his wolf emblem ring from his left paw, and stamped the closed in an envelope. The two were curious, but he would let them sit on that feeling for a bit. Before he could do anything, Judy spoke up.

"I hope you realize that that probably won't be enough, right? Just because your car is here doesn't mean you have to be. They'll figure it out soon enough." Of course that could've gone unspoken, but the bunny felt like it was necessary to point it out.

"Yeah Stiff. If they know you're here then they'll probably learn you've left too."

"Really, 'Stiff'? You've got to have something better than that up your sleeve."

"Hold on Carrots, you can't rush it. He'll get a good one in time."

"I think you're just stumped. Trying to avoid his bad side."

"That could be true. He's the one with the guns." This prompted a chuckle, the first side of personability they had seen in the agent. He walked to the door, preparing to exit. Just before he did, he turned to them, speaking confidently.

"Smart. C'mon, let's go." He waved his paw as he walked out the door, motioning them to follow him. Judy bounded across the room to catch up, leaving Nick to turn off the lights as he chuckled and sauntered out behind them. They followed him back to their car, and both got slightly confused as he pulled out the keys to the vehicle. The fox looked at Judy, who was searching her pockets for the set that the wolf was currently holding.

"You left them on the conference table. I swiped them when you weren't looking." He explained their lack of words. When they closed the distance between themselves and the driverside of the car that was almost too small for the large grey wolf, he handed them the sealed envelope.

"In here are a list of contacts I have in the city. Meet with three a day, no more, no less, unless I send word that I'll be back that day, and avoid the last Rhino on the list, I'll meet you at his place when I'm back in town." He said as he shoved himself into the car.

"I just can't believe you're leaving so soon. We didn't even get to hear ya howl. What a shame." Nick shook his head, as he pulled out a lollipop. He pulled off the wrapper, ignoring the scowl coming from the rabbit, but right before he could put it in his mouth, Pawtorias swped it from him, and took the pleasure.

"Maybe next time Slick. Hopps, try to keep the both of you focused on the case. I'll be in touch. And whatever you do, do not engage the assassins. If contact is made, call for backup and call me. Record your encounter, video preferably, and stay alive. I don't want to have to dodge Mr. Big's goons when I come back. Oh, and here." He passed them the keys to his car. "It's the black Purcedes canine sedan. Much smaller than the tanks your department issues, so it shouldn't be too big for you guys. And if I see a single scratch on it when I get back…" he trailed off, refusing to finish. He started their car, and pulled away with only a wave, leaving the two with their orders, his information, and each other.

* * *

And a hidden witness. Two, actually. The two foxes were lying hidden on a ledge of one of the many high rise buildings overlooking the outdoor parking spaces in front of the police station. Their eyes sparkled in the shade, unseen despite their brilliance. They held still and silent, watching the agent drive off.

"Do you think…? That has to be…" the vixen's silky smooth voice lingered on the words, the same way they lingered on the police detectives that were walking away.

"What? What's on your mind?" Her larger companion asked, the lack of emotion in his tone would've set chills down the spine of the casual observer, were there one. Of course, there wasn't. Just him and the vixen. She glanced up at him, curiosity displayed on her face.

"Is it just me, or does that little foxy look familiar?" She questioned playfully. Her companion didn't respond, causing her to pout in exaggerated upset response. This caused him to huff, and he stared down much more closely.

"I'm sure that's the hero cop. Both of them. They were the ones who brought the Bellwether scandal to light."

"And his name is...?" she hissed impatiently.

"Nicholas P. Wilde…" the larger fox said, his voice almost trying to cling to the words as recollection dawned on his face. The smaller vulpine's face was indecipherable as they watched the two walk back into the police department headquarters.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Please review, and if you liked the story, please follow and share it. The next two chapters are mainly going to be about Nick and Judy and their will-they-won't-they-obviously-they-will-because-duh-romantic antics while going from contact to contact. There will be some Pawtorias in them, but very little. The first person to message me with who Sif Pawtorias is a reference to will get to add something to the story, or get a shoutout. Thanks again for reading.**


	4. Chapter 3

The pair sat in the conference room digging through notes and files for hours on end, bouncing ideas back and forth once a new piece of information was brought up. When Chief Bogo came around to discuss something with them, they were right in the middle of an argument about one of those very idea

"Nick, that's not possible. It's a conflict of interest; no one in their right-OH! Chief Bogo, I didn't see you there," The small detective jumped as the buffalo walked in. His look of irritation and exhaustion was plain, but almost as if it was hiding something else.

"Easy there Hopps, no need to get too worried. I'm just here to check on you and ask for a status update on your special project. Where's Agent Sif?" The buffalo explained, moving to an empty seat opposite of his detectives. Nick was about to respond, his trademark sly-eyes peering over his sunglasses, before Judy interrupted him.

"Sir, Nick and I came to the conclusion that our perps were bait for Agent Pawtorias, to keep him off the trail of his primary target. When we brought this to his attention, he decided to leave the city while keeping us on the case here, doing different things to make it seem like he's still in the city. That way he has a better chance at digging into Arkous Savage, the wolf in charge of the canines we're investigating." She was formal and professional with her response, which slightly disappointed her wit-loving fox partner.

"Well that makes this easier. Now, if Pawtorias was to ever find out I was telling you this, he would most likely have my badge pulled and I would be finding myself on the street. But both the mayor and I know that you're far too important to allow you two to stumble into this case the same way his other partners have. Over the past 20 years he's had 7 different mammals help hands on on this case. Out of those 7, only 1 is still alive. I know he's told you this, but the important part is how they died. His first partner, a lion by the name of Theodore Lionheart, older brother to Mayor Lionheart, was an up and coming politician, just like his brother was to be. However, when he got involved in the case, he encountered Arkous Savage, and in a massive fight that ensued, and Lionheart was shot in the back. Witness reports from the few captured that day all say that Pawtorias was the only one that was arms with a firearm during the entire event. Two years later, a similar event occurred with his second partner, a badger named Paris Londo. His third partner was killed in a fire, one started by Pawtorias. According him, the fire was all a part of the plan, and while the President Chief accepted his telling of the events, I do not. His fourth and fifth partners died due to actions taken by his target, with the latter actually causing Pawtorias to take a two week leave. Then there's his sixth partner, a rhino. No matter how high your personal combat scores are Wilde, I'll never believe that you could do this," he tossed a picture to them, "to a rhino." The photograph was gruesome. Unlike the finesse and precision they had seen in the local murders, the rhinoceros was simply torn to bits. Claw marks and bite wounds laced the entire animal, and it was seemingly deflated from the blood loss. The rhino's face was unidentifiable. Just looking at the picture made the two's stomachs churn, and despite having eaten barely anything, felt like vomiting for just a second.

"And his last partner barely survived. He's currently hospitalized for the next 4 months in Bunnyburrows. Now, I don't know about you, but a death count this high doesn't happen. Even in the ZSIS. And believe me, I've checked. Most in the agency avoid him, and the President Chief made it very clear to not get in his way. The last place I want either of you in danger, and without a doubt the more you get involved here the more in danger you'll be. And I know I won't be able to convince you to drop this case, so I'm not asking you to. But, I expect you to follow my orders still, got it?" They nodded slowly, realizing this was one of his few moments of sincerity. "Good. **No heroics**. From either of you, got it? No taking bullets, no leaps of faith, you make sure either I or Clawhauser know any special plans Pawtorias comes up with, and if you two see either suspect and you're determined to go after them, you call for backup. Neither of you are to die on this case, got it? You are to look out for each other, and keep each other safe." He said, a dead serious stare on his eyes. Judy was lost for words. Unable to respond, her fox spoke up for them.

"Don't worry a horn on that head, Chief. I'll keep her safe." His smirk hid his sincerity, but they both got it nonetheless.

"That goes for you too Wilde. I'm not about to have to write up the death work on my favourite fox." He told the fox, with the slightest hint of a smile breaking through.

"Really? I'm honoured. Who did I beat out?" The red fox voiced his surprise.

"You got the place by default, so don't get too excited." He shot down the fox, keeping his jokes to a minimum. He continued, "Now, before I go, is there anything I can help you with?" With his sincerity lasting, Judy decided to ask a question.

"Sir, who were his fourth and fifth partners? You made it sound like they were of special importance to him."At that, Bogo's eyes drooped, and a sullen look came over his face.

"They undoubtedly were. I know he comes off heartless, probably because of those two. They were his wife and nephew, respectively. Ciaran Pawtorias and Havel Pawtorias." In that moment, each of the officers went silent, the cold weight of the dead filling the room.

* * *

After their 'talk' with Bogo, they wrapped things up swiftly, coming up with a plan for the next day, and ultimately deciding to talk to Honeylemon first thing tomorrow and then deal with the list Pawtorias had given them.

"You think we should take his car? I doubt he'll mind it, and we're supposed to be driving it anyway." Nick didn't need any convincing. The two hurried to the garage, finding the luxury vehicle waiting for them. Pulling the keys out of his pocket, he pressed a button. _Click_. The doors unlocked and opened on their lonesome. The mammals could barely hide their excitement. After a long troubling day like they had had, the lighthearted excitement was refreshing. They quickly loaded into the car, excited to see what kind of vehicle their mysterious new friend drove. Unlike the their own car, which was practically a luxury vehicle, the rugged interior and hard surfaces made them think of it more as a mobile home. There was a video phone in the center console, and the passenger seating area heald both a mini fridge and a microwave. The back bench was set way back, leaving no trunk space, so that way a table could be fitted in between the front seats and back bench. The back bench also lacked any signs of there being multiple seats, and when they tested it, found it could recline to laying straight down, sliding underneath the table to fit, making for a pretty comfortable bed. There were both overhead compartments and plastic containers under the seats, filled with everything from clothes to case and personnel files to ammunition to food seasoning to basic hygiene products.

"I'm guessing our fellow canine friend doesn't get home much, does he? Although, I must say, not a bad place to live if I had to choose." Nick said as they finished up inspecting the vehicle. They weren't expecting a secret agent's home to be his car, so what they found was quite the surprise.

"I know it's a lot better than my last apartment. No obnoxiously loud neighbors and direct access to the outside! I wonder if he misses it right now…"

 _Meanwhile, somewhere outside Zootopia, in the Eastern Swamps..._

Sif Pawtorias laid curled up in the back seat of the _Red Rocket_ , cramped and gnawing on a tough piece of jerky. _This might have been the worst mistake I've made in a very long time…_

 _Meanwhile, back in Zootopia..._

"Eh, he's probably fine." Nick shrugged off the concern, and immediately started going through the mini-fridge at his feet. "Wow, he really did live out of his car. Why the hell is he wasting space in a fridge for MREs though? Ooh! Blueberries!" The fox's eyes sparkled as he pulled out the small wicker box of blue berries. Judy giggled at his excitement.

"Hehehe. He probably keeps them in there because those things are nasty. One of the Special Ops courses back in training had us eating those. Taste like the back side of an elephant after a workout. When they're cold you can't taste them… as much…" She explained, only for a gagging Nick to be her response. Startled, she looked over to him, and noticed him spitting out the berry he had just plopped into his mouth.

"What's wrong? Not as good as the Hopps's?" She laughed as he wiped up his tongue with a napkin.

"Ugh, these berries are disgusting! Worst. Blueberries. Ever. Of all time." He said with a grimace on his face. Pulling over, Judy grabbed the box from him, inspecting the berries closely. THey sure did look like blueberries, but they lacked any smell, and their shape was slightly off. And upon closer inspection, she could see small purple markings around the spot they came off the stem…The realization hit her with a chuckle, and then even more laughter.

"Nick, these aren't blueberries. They're a type of berry called _Narclopsey Parodxica_. Field agents will often collect them because they have a compound in them that can be used to make a powerful tranquilizer. Ingesting the berry whole can cause a dozen things to the mammal dumb enough to eat one." She put the box down on the dashboard and went over to the fox to examine him. Holding his face in her hands, she checked his face for any of the signs of a reaction or the fast acting sedative in the berry. She smiled as she looked him over, his face displaying a confused, then an exasperated look as he realized what she was doing. It didn't take long for her eyes to pass over his, and stop as they did, they connected, staring at each other, another moment frozen in time. They were mere millimeters from each other, and the in the first few seconds they held this position, the tension became practically audible to the two mammals, as their hearts pounded in their ears and their breathing slowed considerably. Nick's nose was first hit by Judy's scent, thick and potent. He could smell the open fields and countryside she grew up in. The combination of rain and grains that filled her childhood with sunlit working days and countless hours of books and study clung to her. But below that, there was her; a smell that was just as playful and uplifting and refreshing as it was mind meltingly tantalizing to the fox. His mind did as much, and for a second and half he felt any and all thoughts leave him, as he was taken by her natural perfume. It was nanoseconds later that his scent hit her; the collection of aromas he had picked up in the city much like the busy city streets themselves, with each one vying for her attention. From the saw dust of the construction yards to the metallic taste from the factories to the sweet scent of the different popsicle flavours he had done, to the small bunny it seemed as if the bustling city life lived on Nick's fur. But beneath that, when she held still this close, she could smell his cool, smooth, heart-meltingly tantalizing fragrance that turned the tough little rabbit into putty for just a second. Their eye's fluttered, and for a split second their world stopped and faded, their minds emptied and boiled down the the intense heat of the moment, enjoying the powerful emotions that followed their nose's reactions to each other. In the incredible mind altering storm she was in, Judy found her voice, and the courage to use it.

"Nick, I-" just not fast enough. As she spoke up, a speeding elephant car shot past them, rocking the car. Unfortunately for the couple, it didn't jolt Nick into his favourite bunny, or Judy into her beloved fox, but instead caused him to shift oddly, unbalancing the rabbit, who promptly fell back and landed on the arm rest. It wasn't even a second before they both knew whatever was there had vanished. _Goddamnit! If I ever catch those guys, I might just kill them!_ Sadly, they couldn't hear each other's thoughts, as their like-minded howls of anger echoed in each other's heads. Hoping to salvage the situation, Nick laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, am I good to go doc?" He joked as he shot death glares at the car that was now almost out of sight. If looks could kill, the passengers would surely be dead. Yet Judy didn't see the look on his face. The deep vermillion of embarrassment coloured her cheeks, the blush practically shining through her fur as she crawled back into the driver's seat. She cleared her throat, trying to shake off the light headedness from their little… encounter.

"Umm… oh, yeah, seems like you spat it out quick enough. If you get itchy or feeling like dropping your head on the dashboard, say something." She said, positively distracted. She pulled them back onto the road, where they continued their trip in mostly silence, the tension lingering but neither one with the courage to actually do anything about it. When the silence became too deafening, Judy finally spoke up, asking a question she had been looking for an answer to for the past couple of months to no avail.

"Nick, where do you live?" His ears perked up at the question. I was a secret he had kept to himself, one that he was intent to keep doing so. Not even his mail carriers knew where he lived; not even Finnick, and he had tried his damned hardest to find out. Luckily, he wasn't a mastermind or anything, so it hadn't been too hard to keep it unknown. The paperwork he had filed to the department for his job had listed Judy and the fennec fox as emergency contacts and the beneficiaries should anything happen to him, and luckily those places of residence were the only ones that mattered. This meant that his personal residence had remained a mystery to everyone except him, so he was able to keep his home out of the public eye, or from being the lounge for any of his… _Two friends? Really? I need to branch out some more…_

"Umm… Slick? Hellooooo? You in there?" The fox snapped back to reality, not realizing he had been stuck in his own head the entire time. Clearing his throat, the sheepish look on his face promoted a scowl on hers.

"Well, depends on what you mean by 'live'..." he responded, too tired to think of something witty say. This only hardened her glare, until her eyes widened and she gasped, losing control of the car for a second.

"Nicholas Piberius", her usage of his middle name caused his to roll his eyes, "Wilde are you homeless?!" The incorrect conclusion caused the vulpine to return her wide eyed surprise with one of his own, then a loud and heart-felt cackle, as he simply couldn't contain his laughter.

"Hahahahahahaha! Me, homeless? Hahahaha! That's a good one Carrots! How could I look this good and be homeless at the same time? The very idea is preposterous! I would have to go to the dry cleaner's every day, and I don't plan on doubling that already hefty monthly expense." His denial caused her to simmer in her own frustration a bit. Not only was he laughing at the suggestion, she couldn't help but feel her worries about him be ignored. Moving on, she pressed the issue.

"Well, if you aren't homeless, then where do you live? I checked the records at the department when Bogo asked me to look over all of the new recruits, and you didn't list yours. You know where I live. I think it only right for me to know where you live too." She was adamant about finding out, despite his reluctance to tell. It all came to who would give up first.

"Oh really? You checked the personnel files? Well, isn't that kind of illegal? Who put you in MR while I was gone?" He changed the topic to stall for time, thinking they had to be getting close to her place.

"Wha-what do you mean? That isn't illegal." She frowned at him, trying to judge his reactions.

"Oh yes it is. City Ordinance AS 135, Part 1, Section 4, Clause 2: any and all private and confidential information on a city official or civil servant holding an unelected position shall not have his or her personal records disclosed to any other employee or private entity except either with written permission to either the requestor or granted to the Keeper of Records, or by the Mammal Resources assigned to said employee's department of the state or an authorized supervising department." He rattled off the law, stunning his partner.

"What? That can't be true. There's no way you can name something like that off the top of your head." She said, her incredulous response causing him to chuckle. Luckily for him, they pulled up to her apartment building, thoroughly ending the conversation. But, to drive his point home, as she put the car in park, he passed his phone over to her, proving it with a Zoogle search. As she read it, a dumbfounded look washed over her face, inducing another small laughing fit as the red canine got out of the car. He was able to walk over to the driver's side before it slipped away, giving him the immense satisfaction of opening the door for the little bunny.

"Told you so. So, should I arrest you for being the criminal now? We wouldn't want a devious little bunny like you hopping around town, would we?" His trademarked smirk and half-lidded eyes expression very firmly in place. Judy's quickly returned to the irritation that had decorated her face earlier. Hopping out of the car, she glared at him, crossing her arms.

"You didn't answer the question. You just stalled the entire time." Her attempt at getting back to the point was spot on, just too late. He swiped the keys from her before answering the question, smirking.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart. Maybe next time Toot-Toot." He climbed behind the wheel of their borrowed car, ignoring her glare, determined to not catch the daggers she was sending his way.

"I'll pick you up here like normal, just this time with style." The fox said, touting their borrowed vehicle.

"Hmmph. Fine, I expect you to be here on time, or else you won't be the only one hustling around here."

"But Carrots, you move so fast already. If your pick up the pace, how will I catch up?" He joked with a large smile on his face. She rolled her eyes, barely even waving at him as she walked into her apartment.

* * *

The drive back to his place was quiet and uneventful. His 'house' (if one could really call it that) was on the edge of Vixshire, closer to the interior of the city. It was the farthest building from the old Fauxfang mansion, and was one of the buildings that made up the 'wall' between Vixhire and the neighboring areas. Nick had moved in (illegally) just about 19 years ago, almost immediately after his mother died. Back then he was just an orphan, and no one was around to throw him out. But after reading up on certain squatter's laws, he realized that the building was technically his, all he had to do was sign the paperwork. Of course, he signed it in a pseudonym, under a Mr. Crash Bandicoot, but the city recognized him as the owner, as there was a long and twisted line of a paper trail for him to prove they were the same person. Lucky, the former owners of the building had gone bankrupt and weren't in any position to try and take it back from him, so he got to basically purchase the building for the price of the paper and ink of all of the filing work ($6.77 in this case). And the decrepit warehouse had no value, so his living there was more of a tax write-off than an expense. Over the years, he had done his own work on the place; after several serious shock (one of which was more than likely the cause of his notorious half-opened eyes gaze), he had managed to turn on the central power, and after almost flooding half the borough, gotten the water back on too. And while the main warehouse was either always too cold or too hot to stay in, the second and third balconies had several offices and even what was probably going to an employee lounge. He had made himself right at home, with plenty of room all to himself, he was deeply pleased with the place he called home. He had jimmy-rigged elevators, hidden compartments and passages, and a plethora of different security devices and entertainment pieces throughout his home. However, tonight he was exhausted, and focused on one thing; sleep. He drove the car into the warehouse, locking the main gate behind him. No one had ever come into the building in his nearly two decades of living there, but he wasn't about to take a chance that someone might, especially with the deadlier-than-Death agent's car being here. He walked to the back of the building, jumping on the large power switch, his whole weight being just enough to flip it down, bringing the power on. None of the light powered up, but a deep humming could be heard, then a rattle, as the vents began to cough out the cold air from the industrial-strength AC units located on top of the building. Standing still for just a moment, he waited as the frigid air slowly sank to his level.

"Aww… much better…" he said to himself, enjoying the subtle goosebumps crawling over his skin. After that , he marched off to the wash rooms. Just like everything else, they were up stairs. The only way to the upper levels from the inside were two ladders, but Nick was almost never in the mood to deal with them, so early on he had installed simple counterweight elevators (using some of the extra concrete and cement bricks as the counter weights), for whenever he really wasn't in the mood. This was one of those times. Kicking out the stopper, the elevator brought him up to the next floor. He walked across the metal lattice catwalk, shuffling into one of the washrooms. There were two, undoubtedly one meant for ladies and the other for their male counterparts, but being the lazy fox that he was, he only ever cleaned out one, leaving the other one to sit in the industrial grime and collect dust from the lack of use. He took a hot shower, fading in and out of consciousness as he did, and afterwards quickly made his way up the stairs to the top floor, where his room lay. His room was the smallest and most furnished out of the half dozen in the building (not really a high bar set by the rest). A large cherry wood dresser, almost definitely too large for the single fox alone, was against one of the interior walls. The bottom drawer of the dresser was opened, revealing the purpose for such an oversized piece of furniture; it could double as a bed for the resident. A window let the moonlight in, bleaching it of its deep red colour. Under the window sat an ornate chest. The iron wood trunk had a intricate symbol on the facade, and the iron-fittings gave it an antique and rustic look. Other than that, a simple table and matching chair, the room was empty. He didn't pay any mind to them, intent on one thing; sleep. He walked over and fell into the pile of pillows blankets and stuffing and other things that made up his bed and found what he was searching for almost instantly.

* * *

" _What-what's happening?" Nick's child-voice rang through his ears_

" _You guys, we should head home." Another fox, much larger, but the same age warned._

" _Come on, where's the fun in that?" a vixen this time._

 _ **Bang. BANG BANG.**_

" _Holy fox-trot, what the blazes-" the vixen again._

Nick's body tensed, and were there anyone to hear his whimper, the heart shattering sound that it was.

" _Run! Go you two, run!" the larger fox yelled._

 _ **BANG. Cha-THUNK cha-THUNK. Bang bang.**_

" _Go Nikki, RUN! I'm right behind you don't-"_ _ **BANG.**_ _Nick kept running, even after the she stopped yelling to him. Then…_ **fire** _. Red, hot, devouring everything. Tears. Fear._ **Fire. Pain-**

Nick launched from curled up position, howling in pain and fear and a tormented anguish, filling the night with his emotions. He wasn't alone. As his tone of sorrow echoed over the homes of countless foxes like himself, the cry resonated with them, and soon the night's air was filled with the chorus of the foxes' tragedies.

* * *

 **Hallo everybody. I'm getting a new computer soon, and college is starting back up as well, so I might not get the next one up for a while. I'll try to do so regardless. Writing is the only thing keeping me sane right now. Please review, and follow if you like it so far.**


	5. Chapter 4

Nick sat in his pile of cushions, panting. His breathe was haggard and tormented, as he desperately fought back a flood of tears coming to his eyes. He couldn't stop himself from shivering and shaking, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins, a lingering side-effect of the emotional storm from his dream. The melancholy melody of the fox center in the city still rang out, the embers of the song refusing to burn out. Nick couldn't help but shudder as repressed memories boiled up to the surface, fighting their way to the front of his mind. After sitting in the same traumatized state for ten minutes, silencing whimpers and holding back sobs, he knew sleep wasn't an option. Forcing control of himself, he got up, and threw on a pair of pants, one of his iconic button up shirts, and an old jacket, and promptly left his home, heading to work on a personal mission.

* * *

Judy woke up, the feeling of a full night's sleep clinging to her eyes and mind, her alarm in a fit. Looking around, the room, barely awake, she noticed her phone's message light going off, and quickly picked it up, curiosity shaking the dreariness from her head. She was slightly surprised to see that it was from her favourite fox.

 _Sorry Carrots, something came up. Going to head into work early. You can make it to the station without me, right?_

She read the message, a large frown forming on her face. It was timestamped for 2:22, just under 4 hours ago. She rushed to get dressed, and as she hurried out the door, she called him.

No response. Not even a ring. _Why is his phone off. He never turns his phone off. Something is wrong._ The bunny thought to herself, worry beginning to build. She knew she shouldn't, but the nagging feeling of light panic began to tug at her mind, and she couldn't help but let her mind wander as she practically ran to the station. To avoid attention, she took a long way around, through back alleys and side roads, and ignored the vagrants and numerous shady deals she could overhear. It wasn't long before she got to the station, where she heard something that distracted her for just a second.

"Did you hear the foxes last night? I wonder what got them all riled up." Wolford was making small talk with Delgato, and Judy was instantaneously interested, the mammal type catching her ear.

"What do you mean? I didn't hear anything."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you live on the other side of town. Vixshire was up in a storm last night. Every fox in the borough must've been hollering. It started off just one, then all of 'em joined in. I'm pretty sure the night shift had more than one call to deal with about it."

"Really? That's weird. You join in?"

"Nah, it felt… off. Ya know how it usually feels to hear a howl?"

"Yeah, like an invite. Time for some fun."

"Well, this one didn't. Felt more like a closed party, and definitely not one you want to crash. Almost… sad, now that I think about it."

"Eh, you're probably overthinking it. How cou-" Judy heard enough of the conversation to put two and two together, and interrupted the two wolves, butting in with a question.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to remember when that was, do you?" Wolford looked over at the small bunny, not realizing she had been listening, but more than willing (and able) to answer her question.

"Around 2 in the morning I think. It was quite loud. I'm surprised you didn't hear it, despite not being too close." He said, his crude attempt at a joke on her hearing falling flat as she jogged away, causing the two canines to look at her in curiosity.

She ran and jumped onto Clawhauser's desk, causing the cheetah to jump in surprise.

"Judy! Please don't scare me like that! You'll give me a heart attack." He said as he fumbled with his doughnut. She laughed to herself for a second, before going on to her reason for being there.

"Hey, do you know what happened in Vixshire last night?"

"That? Oh, that's not too unusual. It's been happening for the past 20 years or so. Pretty sure it has to do with mourning. Something about the Fauxfang family. At least once a year all the foxes in that part of town just start howling, and the night crew have to deal with sorting out all of the extra noise complaints. Now that's not a fun job. I hear it's actually quite emotional for those that hear it, and even more so for the foxes that join in." The obese cheetah explained. Judy looked away from him, losing herself in thought for a moment before responding.

"Okay then. Thanks for the info Clawhauser. I'm surprised I haven't heard of it before."

"Really? I'm surprised Nick hasn't told you about it. He probably lives in the area." The desk officer said, a smile on his face as he took a bite out of another glazed treat.

"That brings me to my second question: where is he? I got a text that he was coming in early, and he hasn't returned my call." She questioned, adding a light demand to her tone, the subtle shift being caught by her friend.

"Oh. Well, last I saw he was on one of the record department's computers. Looked like he was pretty intent on whatever he was working on. Never seen him so… serious. Kind of weird if you were to ask me."

"Was he here when you got here?" She asked, heading that way slowly, intent on going there once she got her answer.

"Yeah. McCrabbin said he came in around 2:30. That's way before my shift." And with that, she took off.

* * *

The records department was in the basement. It was originally a bomb shelter. No one remembered why such a labyrinthian complex was developed for protection, but it was there, mostly unexplored. The portions that were were secontions off, with the Police Headquarters given access to a part to store sensitive files, and their personal servers. On really delicate cases, the officers would come down here and hardline into them, to not only speed up the processing time but also to get some peace and quiet, though, this was rare. With her promotion, however, she found herself using the spaces far more often than the normal officers, so she had made it a point to explore the area one day, at least to familiarize herself with it. This, plus her sensitive hearing, allowed her to track down her favourite fox quite quickly. She knew he was aware of her long before she turn the corner on his little workstation, as he was already wrapping it up. The computer was shutting down and Nick was turning on his phone. His back was still to her, as he slouched over desk. Something about the scene in front of her cried out for help.

"Hey Slick. You scared me. What's been eating at you?" She said, trying to keep casual. The questions in her head though made it nearly impossible, as they thundered around her mind, practically demanding answers. How she was able to keep them under control she would never know, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth either, lest they all start spilling out.

"I was wondering when you would come around Carrots. It was starting to get lonely down here," he dodged the question quite blatantly.

"Sorry I took so long. Someone had to keep the normal schedule, and you apparently couldn't be bothered." She let him get away with it, deciding to not push it for now. Whatever was able to get the lazy fox out of bed at 2 o'clock in the morning must've been heavy, and if he wasn't forthcoming with it then it was probably best to leave it alone until he was.

"Eh, never liked schedules. Always seemed like rules for the sake of rules to me." He said as he spun around in his swivel chair, his sunglasses already hiding his face from scrutiny.

"Well, no wonder you were almost late your first day." Their back and forth would last until they got back up to the commandeered conference room. When they did, Nick grabbed a big box labeled "CONTACTS" and waited for Judy to read off the names on the paper Pawtorias had given them. The box was large for the fox, having been meant for a wolf nearly twice his size, but he managed to get it on the table, ready to search through it.

"Ready when you are- Carrots? What's up?" He looked over at the rabbit, who was now staring at the little letter, her eyebrows furrowed and her mind lost in thought. Nick couldn't tell if she could hear him or not, but it was obvious that even if she could she wasn't paying any attention. Her eyes looked over the words, her lips mouthing along what she read oh so subtly. The amount of intense attention she gave to it make Nick's heart skip a beat, whether in fear of what she could possibly be reading or in response to how adorable her face always seemed to be, he didn't know. Deciding that he had waiting long enough, he jumped of the table and walked up behind her, reading over her shoulder.

 _They're watching. Act carefully, and pay close attention. Read the notes, call everyone. The badger and the elephant only when I'm coming back to town._

The note ended there, without a clue what he meant or how he knew or how they should continue. Nick's jaw dropped, utterly befuddled. _Really? That's all you're going to give us?_

"Weeeell, isn't that the kicker. I guess it's-" before he could continue, Judy tore up the paper, turning it into not but shreds. Her composure was back, and it only took a second for the fox to realize what she was doing. _Being paranoid, eh? I guess he did sort of lend to that outlook…_

"-just us and their files, right?" He said, determined to play along with her no-clue-dropped idea.

"I guess so. Do you remember the names?"

"Of course. He might've had a long list, but I know half the guys on it. Only a couple new ones."

"Well then, let's start with them. Oh, and I'll call Honeylemon on our way out, tell her we'll be stopping by."

* * *

The vixen hid quite lazily, watching the front door of the police station from just across the street. The predator focused cafe had a new agey atmosphere, one where her relaxed attire and eccentrically salacious mannerisms blended in without a second glance. Until, that is, one registered just who was behind them. While interspecies relationships weren't openly recognized, most mammals WOULD openly admit when another ws attractive. And by all counts, this particular fox was living up to the word 'foxy'. He glistening, snow white fur was brushed into a soft, smooth texture. Her dazzling red eyes met few others, as she surveyed the crowd once in awhile. Around her neck lay an odd teardrop Ruby pendant, which when looked at closely, almost seemed unfinished. She wore a blue tunic wrap top decorated with a red ink drop pattern, and a flowing skirt and tights to further display her long legs, despite being on the smaller side for foxes. Most mammals took a double take, and if they didn't have their significant others with them, a triple and a quadruple take after that. But the attention she was earning did little for her, as she ignored nearly all of it. When her phone lit up, she reached for it, taking a time to put on a display of enchanting elegance that caused her mostly not so secret admirers to ogle all the more obviously. She gingerly picked up the phone, and read the text in her head.

 **They're leaving. Don't know who was on the list. It's in shreds now. S still wants his playtime.**

 **-V**

She smirked, more than willing to give it to him. Grabbing her drink, she sauntered across the cafe, swishing her tail gently, now enjoying the attention, promoting it. As she got to the door, she looked back, winking, her voice like as smooth as molten chocolate and as sweet as nectar, with a unnoticed venom underneath.

"Bye boys." The tiny little words to the countless males in the building got the hipsters and gentlemammals alike to drop their acts. A group of wolves in the back began howling, as several bears started pounding on their table, and even the cheetah in from in his business uniform started cat calling. The ruckus could definitely be heard around the plaza, which was all she needed.

* * *

Judy and Nick walked out of the police station, lacking the normal banter they usually carried about them. This made the unusually loud cafe all the more apparent. Looking over, Judy noticed two things: the stunningly brilliant arctic fox stepping around the corner out of the building, and the undeniable fact that the uproar was centered on her. It didn't even take a second for Judy to pigeonhole the vixen as just that, with a negative connotation to the word. That when a pang of fear shot through her, and she tentatively looked up at her partner, hoping against hope that she wouldn't see what she saw. With her low angle, she could easily see under the sunglasses, and when she did, her heart dropped. His gaze was squarely on the vulpine across the way, a deep stare on his face. She had only ever seen that look on his face a few times previously, but she knew when he wore it, it meant his attention was quite thoroughly taken. And the comment that came nearly broke her her collected facade, as an inkling of pain and jealousy almost made it's way on her face.

"Hey Carrots, why don't you go wait in the car. I'll go get us some coffee. Starting to feel the lack of sleep, ya know?" He said, handing the bunny the car keys and walking off towards the cafe, coincidently as the female slipped back inside, something apparently wrong with her drink. What Judy didn't notice was the lack of a smile, or the underlying look of painful curiosity in Nick's eyes, which would've tipped her off to something far more important about the vixen.

She watched him walk away, and silently glared at his back, partially hoping that the daggers in her eyes would become real. Arms crossed with an indignant haughtiness about her, she marched off angrily to where she heard the car's annoyingly cheerful beeps.

* * *

Nick felt like he was in a trance. The intensity of the roaring questions could've caused him to collapse in a mental break down, and if he hadn't spent the better part of two decades learning how to hide his emotions like he had, he probably would've. Confusion, fear, pain, longing, subtly mixed with anger and regret all boiled right beneath the surface of the tormented and sleep deprived fox as he hurried to the door of the cafe. He was singularly focused on finding the vixen, but once inside, knew it would be impossible. The place was too crowded for him to attempt to see her, and her scent was nowhere to be smelled. As he sighed, his rational mind took the reins again, and he hid the disappointment and relief behind a facade of cockiness. He ordered their usual drinks, and slumped on a bar stool, scanning the crowd. And as he did, he noticed someone that made him doubletake. A rather well dressed grey wolf, sitting alone by the front of store. His table had a window next to it, but his seat put him just out of sight for anyone on the outside. And he was staring right back. The wolf's eyes met Nick's, and with that tiny little action, all of his other emotions fled. His anger, frustration, relief, sadness, confusion - all of them - took flight and were quickly replaced with pure dread. A terror took over the vulpine, one that he couldn't even fathom for the first few seconds. He shivered, and diverted his eyes, trying to compose himself, to get some form of control. He shivered again, this time quite visibly. When his blueberry tea got to him, he downed it in one go, and felt half tempted to drink Judy's carrot latte as well, but managed to refrain. He looked back at the table, having collected his composure and feeling more like himself. What he saw made his fight or flight instincts surge, but he remained in control. The grey wolf waved him over, almost exasperated at how long it was taking him to respond. Nick knew he couldn't avoid whatever confrontation was about to happen, and inwardly sighed as he began to walk over to the larger canine.

"Hallo, Mr. Wilde. With your name everywhere I was hoping to get some sort of face time, before things got busy." His voice was oddly familiar, but the novelty of the venomously high-pitched, low toned, smoothly gruff voice was the center of attention for the smaller fox. Up close, _Mr. Wilde_ could see that the wolf was much smaller than average, despite still being far than himself. Next to him, leaning up against the wall, sat an ornate, snakehead walking stick. _That's not ominously threatening…_

"Well, Mr. _Savage_ , the station has meet and greet days every other Tuesday. Office hours 9 to 6. Please, do feel free to come in." Nick responded, his joking invitation getting a smile and small chuckle from the crimelord.

"Haha. Well, my good detective, when you hold the reputation I do, it's best not to walking into a place swarming with armed police officers." Arkous replied, the criminal unnervingly calm. He took a sip of coffee, further unsettling the vulpine detective, as he hadn't noticed the drink previously.

"Well, I hope you realize you'll be dropping by shortly? I can't let you go without a tour. Especially of the cell block, it's a must see destination." He continued the lighthearted but thinly veiled threat.

"Most likely. Unfortunately for you though, I have things to do today. Perhaps some other day?" He took another sip, and before Nick could retort, ended the playful banter.

"Now, onto business. I hope you do know how truly impressed I am with your record, Mr. Wilde. I don't usually find myself actually interested in Pawtorias's 'allies'. However, you and that little ball of over enthusiastic fluff have definitely caught my intrigue. A bunny hero cop, and her ex-con fox partner. Not to mention the high commendations both of you shoulder. It's all quite a feat." His praise was disorienting, as the Nick's natural inclination in reaction to the slippery poisonous voice was to flee and shield himself, but the comments were… disarming. But then again, the fact that he purported to know so much about the two of them was alarming.

"Really? Coming from you that is indeed high praise."

"Well, all of that hard work does deserve a reward. So I have a little present for you. A warning to even up the playing field." He spoke, his voice ditching the attempt at being charming, taking on a sinister tone instead. It worked much better. "I don't plan on losing to you or that little furball or even to Pawtorias. If I wanted to, I could've had the both of you killed ever since you stepped into that conference room two days ago. The only reason you're here is to have something to occupy my resources until I've gotten what I want, and then when I have, you'll be disposed of. Whether by the gas mines hidden in the ventilation systems in your police headquarters or the 20 pounds of plastic explosives under your little friend's bed. And you can't run. You can't hide. My eyes are everywhere." Nick was quick to the point, ready to impress on the drop of a dime.

"Wow, is that so? Do my ears and mind deceive me? Have I hidden my own home so well that not even the great Arkous Savage can find it? Well, I impress even myself sometimes." He barked his amusement at the wolf's irritated expression. _Gotcha, big guy. Don't go puffing up your sails with such a big hole in your boat. You might just end up sinking your whole ship._

"Hmmph. Such a minor detail. Faced with the rest of the facts, I would say you're out maneuvered, detective." His scowl showed a crack is his austere armour.

"I think not, my limpy classy finely furred friend. I'll see you in court." As he said this, he brought a pair of handcuffs down on the wolf's wrist, only for them to meet no resistance. The two of them stared down at his paws, a look of surprise on each of them. Nick's slight of hand surprised the wolf, but as Nick's handcuff scraped the table, he realized the impossible.

"Okay, are you really some kind of sci-fi villain? Who uses holograms to meet with people? This isn't _Paw Wars_!" The fox exclaimed, his irritation mixing with how humorous he found the situation. At that, Savage chuckled, remembering why he originally wanted to meet with the fox. _He really is entertaining. No wonder he's a public favourite…_

"Well, I've been told I'm quite eccentric. Thank you for noticing. But if I was a science fiction villain I would need a much cooler name than _'Arkous Savage'_. Don't you think, Mr. Wilde?"

"To be completely fair, I think _'Arkous Savage'_ is definitely weird enough to show up on an old episode of _Star Trunk_." The response got another laugh out of the criminal, as the fox settled back into his seat. He quickly glanced around, both surprised and not at the lack of a reaction from the crowd.

"So, Mr. Fox, how do you see this going? I sincerely hope you don't think you're going to get a happy ending out of all of this. Otherwise you might just forfeit the few points of respect I have for you." The grey wolf questioned, his curiosity pushing back his irritation from earlier.

"I told you. I'll see you in court." The fox answered, a smirk and a wink on his face, as he moved to leave the cafe. The moment he turned his back, Savage's face grew a potent scowl, as he watched him leave. If Nick had turned, his carefree and cocky facade would've been wiped off his face.

* * *

The moment he turned the corner out of the threshold, he dropped it anyway. Allowing the emotional storm of fear and panic wash over him, he backed up against the wall, giving into the mild panic attack. Or was it a heart attack? The shooting pains in his left arm spoke to the latter, but his hyperventilating was shouting to the former. However, heart attack or panic attack, it didn't really matter. He shook his head, determined to scramble on top of all of it. And he did, surprisingly. When he looked over to the car, he noticed his partner running towards him. He smirked, truly smiling inside, the look of worry on her face heartening. He strutted towards her, shaking off the feeling that had possessed him just a moment ago. Of course, she didn't understand his sudden change in demeanor, and as she looked at him, he face went from worry to confusion as her sprint slowed and then stopped dead. As he sauntered over to her, he couldn't help but keep his half-lidded eyes on her, for a multitude of reasons.

"What's wrong Nick? You looked like you were about to have a heart attack." She said, her worry still in her voice. Her worry wasn't just in her voice though. The air around her was different… _Aww, you care enough let everyone know you're worried. How adorable Carrots…_

"I'll tell you when we get in the car. Not appropriate conversation for the open plaza," he said, his cool and collected voice never cracking, indicating his full recovery. She scowled at him, trying to decipher his thoughts from his face.

"What, got slapped down by the vixen? I noticed a distinct lack of blueberry tea in your hand, and it took you a while to come out. Had to clean up in there?" She hadn't meant to, but her voice carried an edge that was quite comparable to the wolf he had just escaped, scaring him and getting a smile to stretch across his face. It didn't last long, as he glanced back, the thought of the female vulpine quickly running through his mind, hoping against hope to who it was. Unfortunately Judy noticed this, and the look of frustration mixed with one of hurt, before she hid them entirely. When they finally got back to the car, he passed her her drink, and waited for her to take a sip before telling her what happened.

"Arkous Savage was in there. We talked and he was terrifying." At that, Judy spit out the delectable drink, forming a nice cloudy mist in front of her.

* * *

 **I hope that was a good way to end that one... Anyway, that's chapter 4. Thanks to** **Morguerat, Meh1234321, and NightWolf079 for your reviews. Really helpful and encouraging. College is starting for me (technically is did today, but I needed to clear up my schedule for work), so I technically shouldn't be posting as much, but I might just say aw fuck it and post just as much or more, because I can. Please follow and review.**


	6. Chapter 5

"WHAT?" Judy gasped, before promptly choking on her drink. After a few coughs, she cleared her throat, and looked at her vulpine friend with the same look of surprise and fear that had adorned her face before her little coughing fit.

"You heard me right Carrots. Arkous Savage was in there waiting for me. Odd guy." Nick held onto his composure far better than she did, and kept his straight face.

"Then we have to go in there! Get Pawtorias on the line!" She said as she grabbed her radio, about to call for backup. He stopped her, grabbing her paw.

"Hold on there Fluff. We talked, but he wasn't really there. I told you he was an odd one. He used a hologram, like the ones they use in those big EDM concerts. I tried to cuff 'im, but it's hard to do that when there isn't a physical person to tighten them around." He said, explaining his actions.

"Okay, odd is an understatement then. What did he say? Was the vixen a hologram too?" She tempered her desire to bombard him with question by asking only a few at a time, biting her tongue on the others.

"I don't know about the vixen, but once I got in the cafe she wasn't anywhere to be seen." He answered her second question first, silently conflicted on whether or not he hoped she wasn't really there. "He mainly wanted to threaten us, scare us, and have a laugh. I told you, odd guy." Nick kept away from specifics, not wanting to scare her about her apartment. But that reminded him…

"Which reminds me. It seems that I'm pretty good at keeping my place of residence a well kept secret, so I was thinking we should probably move HQ there for now. Crazy fangs doesn't know where I live, so it'll make all of this less… paranoia inducing if we know he and his psychotic mammal slayers aren't always watching us, ya know?" He relented. He knew he had to do it for her safety, but he was also quite frustrated at having to give up one of his favourite secrets. _Well, with how things are looking, that one might be the smallest…_

His recommendation got a raised eyebrow and a half smirk, half gawk. "Nicholas Piberius-",

"-please don't use my full name-"

"-Wilde, are you offering to show **me** , another living, **breathing** mammal, where you live? Is the sky falling? I didn't think today was the start of the apocalypse." He immediately regretted the suggestion, but he charged forward, swallowing his love of secrecy.

"Look, Judy, seriously now. If what he said was true, then you're in danger if you stay at your apartment for the time being. So…" He had been envisioning many things for the past couple of months, in wait for her to make the first move; what date places he would take them to, how he would treat her on special occasions, what presents he would give her, and even how he would drop two particular questions. This is definitely not how he was planning to ask this one, and if his luck kept up, he wouldn't get the chance to ask it the far more romantic way he had imagined.

"Sooooo…? Spit it out, ya dumb fox." The smirk on her face spelled out the situation. She was toying with him at this point. Sighing in an over exaggerated huff, he let the words slip from his tongue, allowing it the responsibility of keeping his usually coy demeanor while the rest of him dealt with the crushing disappointment of shelving such a well put together plan.

" _Sooooo_ , I think you should stay at my place as well, at least until we've taken care of the threats. Safety first." He said, pulling on his seat belt for emphasis, feeling his face match the clever attitude he put on his voice. With that, the excited bunny calmed down a bit, her smile going from exuberant to simply pleased.

"I'm surprised, Slick. Did he scare you that much you're willing to divulge your biggest, most important secret to me? What could he have possible said to you I wonder?" Her smile glinted as they turned towards the sun, heading to Precinct 3 offices. He rolled his eyes, still reluctant to tell her what he actually said, but starting to debate it… starting to. She spoke up when she realized he wasn't going to say anything about the contents of the conversation, not wanting to push it too hard.

"Okay, I'll trust your judgement on this one. If you think we should stay together where they can't see us, then we can back up the notes and everything from the conference room and head take it all to your place later."

"But we'll have to be careful, especially if we're being watched all the time. Just because I'm letting you in on the secret doesn't mean I'm letting everyone in on it." He said, making sure she knew he was serious about the whole 'secrecy thing'. At that she laughed, their drive keeping a light air to it after that.

* * *

Pawtorias walked through a very, very, muddy forest. He was used to the natural terrains of the outer realms, the areas beyond Zootopia's jurisdiction. Quite used to them in fact, after having not been home to roam the city for the better part of two decades prior to his last visit. However, he never knew such a place as this existed. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised at this. The area was well hidden; the mountain one out of a thousand in the range, and to anyone looking on paper, nothing was special about it. The wet, muddy slopes made travel over it difficult, so despite it not even being that tall, it was ranked the slowest hike. The flora and fauna were unspectacular, with few bugs worthy of catching even attempting to survive, and the trees and ferns that grew in the area were devoid of any vibrant colouration, instead coated with a muted greens and blackish browns. There was a thick fog that permeated the air, which seemingly followed whatever it touched. It didn't seem to affected by the pouring rain, however, as it stayed aloft, neither sinking nor drifting away, like a spider's web loosely connected between the branches of the evergreen trees that surrounded the agent.

Despite being a dismal place on paper, being there was quite a different sensation in person. Rarely did Pawtorias feel as… _connected_ as he did here. There was a sensation on the air, something indescribable. It was in the ground he walked on, the air he breathed; it clung to everything he could see. It was almost… peaceful. Serene. The effect of whatever miasma was in the air was quite apparent, as Sif trudged through the mud, neither struggling tiring. He simply did as he knew he must, and felt better for focusing on the singular task. Of course, while his 35 years of special ops training and military experience helped him get where he was certain that not of that made any difference to his current whereabouts and situation, that if an undisciplined, untrained mammal was making this trek with a singular purpose in mind, they would feel the same ease and peace he did. Grunting, he marched forward, disregarding the thought.

As he continued, part of him started to yearn for the car he had left back at the way station, or the vehicle he had left in Zootopia, or literally anywhere but the cold wet dreary weather he was trudging through. He ignored it for the most part though, keeping focused on the rumours he had tracked down that lead him to a spot not far from where he was. He was close now, he knew it. Sif's suspicion was proven correct as he rounded a particularly large tree, for a small wooden hut to be revealed, hidden in a crack in the great redwood. The hut looked quite homsy, and seemingly built for a mammal his size. Any sense of fear or anxiety that would've slowed his hand was nonexistent as he raised his hand to knock on the door. Wordlessly, the occupants invited him in, as the door was unlocked. He opened it, and stepped inside,getting out of the rain and into the warming light of a small fire.

Inside sat an aging cheetah in a wooden rocking chair. He was covered in blankets, scarfs, and all manner of different layers, probably in an attempt to stay warm. It was hard to tell just by looking at him whether he was awake or not. He clarified.

"Under normal circumstances it's impolite to come in without knocking or invitation; however I guess our situation are rather _abnormal_ , so I suppose that little transgression can be overlooked." He said in a raspy, elderly voice. Sif simply stared back, refusing to respond, lest he insult the old feline. At that point, another cheetah, a female, walked from a room to his right. She looked just as old, if not older, yet her activity and stance spoke of a defiance to the effect of time. Her voice was sharp and clear, as if honed by the passage of the years instead of dulled and withered, like that of her mate.

"Krava, with hold your inane comments for another time, as they serve no purpose here or now. You've been expecting him for some time, so please dispense with the pleasantries and get him started. Tonight will be a short one, and he won't have much time tomorrow." She snapped at him, the command thick in the air.

"Reika, you've always lacked patience. Maybe now would be a nice time to practice." His response held a lighter tone than his initial comment, and it didn't take long for the two to remind Pawtorias of another two unusually important mammals.

"I have plenty of patience. You simply have no sense of time." She hissed as she moved to the fire, added several logs to it.

"Need I remind you what happened to that poor sloth just a few years back?"

"You make my point loud and clear. That happened over 30 years ago." With that, the two went silent, as Krava stared into the fire, his face contorted as his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Feeling exhaustion now creeping on his limbs, Sif spoke up, intent on making the most of his time.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but are you two the former caretakers to the old House of Fauxfang? Servants for the late Xalas Fauxfang and his offspring?" He got right to the point, but allowed for the clarification should there be some mistake. According to the pictures on file, these old cheetahs definitely were. Krava and Reika Springslink, former butler and top aide for the old family. However, in the age, he wouldn't have been surprised if they had forgotten most of the information he was here for.

"Of course we are, good sir. As you no doubt know, I am Krava Springslink and this is my wife and mate, Reika Narul-Springslink. I assure you you've come to the right place. So please do come and sit down. You must be offly cold." The old male said, waving to the seat next to him in invitation.

"What did I say about pleasantries Krava? Neither he nor we have the time for such idle chit-chat." Only now did Sif really look at the elderly feline. Although, she, like her husband, didn't really expose much of herself. She wore a thick and loose fitting tunic, and long pants. Over that she wore an even larger brown cloak, and kept it somewhat closed with a braided belt. Something was unnerving about how she moved so confidently, as he knew she wasn't looking around, as her hood covered her eyes.

"Well, if you were expecting me, then you also know why I'm here, correct?" He asked cautiously, both obliging and refusing the female feline at the same time. He was intent on getting to the point, but he felt a need to proceed cautiously.

"I assume you're here to ask about our late… _employer_ , are you not?" Krava responded, matching his caution in an almost mocking tone. However, Sif kept whatever hurt pride he had in check. This was certainly no place for pride.

"For the most part. I have… specific questions. Mostly regarding his will and his intelligence community." The wolf kept a straight face, not really knowing how to deal with the two. They were old, and their attitudes resembled their former master. The Fauxfangs were well known for being highly eccentric, and definitely avoiding the norm. It seems their behavioral oddities had past to these two, or at least onto Krava.

"I expected as much. Which one would you prefer to start with? I'm not sure which one I would begin on, both are dreadfully complex."

"Let's start with the will. Most of it is public record, but I'm guessing there's more to it than meets the eye." He requested, hoping that it would be the quicker of the two topics.

"Well, you are correct. In Lord Xalas's Last Will and Testament, as you are no doubt aware, he left everything to his children, as to be expected. However, there was an edit made, just a few hours before his death, as his children were already supposedly dead." The revelation wasn't anything new. Sif had suspected something to that effect ever since he read the original will just two decades ago. However, the fact that it wasn't revealed to him and was kept so well hidden for so long was an impressive feat, and meant there was something of importance there.

"What did he say in the edit? What was the final request?" Krava chuckled at the small jump in enthusiasm.

"Now you're interested. Milord Xalas requested that his fortunes and property be handed over to a young fox who had befriended his children, and whom he had grown quite fond of. However, a stipulation was put that the fox must come to the city willingly, and either I or an agent given my authority must vindicate the fox's identity. Of course, that never happened. He stayed away, undoubtedly terrified and mourning. Imagine, being a child, not but 12, having just lost your best friends, and then soon after your benefactor and father figure? Both to acts of violence no less? How does one recover from that sort of pain at such a young age? As a fox, he most likely hid his feelings away, absconded with personal relationships, and fought to blend into the crowd. I wouldn't be surprised if he was some hoodwinker in the ghettos of the city somewhere." Sif let him ramble on, every question and sentence that dropped from his tongue only increased the agent's sense of certainty. It was obvious.

With that question out of the way, he moved on swiftly to the next topic. "That's all I needed to know on that. I-" however, Mr. Springslink wasn't fulfilled. The old cheetah was surprisingly aware, and noticed Pawtorias's satisfaction.

"You've found him, haven't you? You know the fox I speak of, don't you, my finely faced friend." His interest was only tempered when Reika spoke up.

"We already knew that. Now with hold your foolishness until we no longer have more pressing responsibilities. Neither he nor I have either the patience or time to deal with it right now." Her snap brought a scowl from the male, his almost over baring enthusiasm slipping.

"Fine, but if we have time tomorrow, I don't want to hear any sighs or huffs at my nonsense, ya hear me?" His demand was comical, but understandable, for those who understood how the couple worked.

"Ugh, fine, but not right now. Focus on the task at hand." At that, Sif delved into is real questions.

"Now tell me about Xalas Fauxfang and his contacts. What was he doing behind scenes?"

"Well now, isn't that a short question with a long answer…"

* * *

"What do _**you**_ want, Wilde? I'm busy- JUDY! OH MY GOODNESS! You're stilling hanging around this dumb fox? You really need to get a better partner." Honeylemon's two very different reactions to her visitors bordered on being unprofessional. Unfortunately for the fox, most found her bipolarism towards the two comical, so no one ever really called her on it. And so the times Judy and he came by, the reactions were always the same; she would get testy with Nick, Judy would pop up, she would get all excited, and Nick would be left with a scowl as the badger would talk to Judy, often times about she should get a new partner so Honeylemon could find some reason to arrest Nick without feeling guilty.

"Hey Honey! How have you been? I hope you haven't been too bored without me." The bunny replied, her mild enthusiasm complementing the badger's exuberance.

"Never! I've been on the tail of this rat, and he's definitely slippery. Been keeping me up for the past couple of weeks digging in the archives and running around town like a chicken missing it's head." She said, quite happy about the case. As she mentioned rat, both Judy and Nick smirked, pleased that they were definitely talking to the right person.

"Would that rat's name happen to be "Vartini" by any chance...?" Judy asked, her tongue adding a slick and thickly coated mischievous tone to the words, prompting a sideways glance from Nick, partially out of humour.

"Yes… why? Are you two here to take my case?! Please no, I knew they would likely hand it over to someone else but I've been _dying_ for a good case like this since that jock-strap incident! Come on, can you help me out and just not take this? I'll die of boredom if I'm put back on patrol with that freaking sloth!" She cried, slightly overreacting, but just barely. It was almost hilarious, but Nick couldn't help but focus on something in particular… _What was the jock-strap incident?_

"No no no, don't worry, we're not gonna take it from you. But we do need in on that one. You see, did you hear about those murders in Forestplains? Yeah, well, my sources tell me that the guys who did it are currently staying with Vartini, and he really shouldn't have that kind of firepower, now should he?" Honey's facial expressions followed Judy's response, going from relief to recognition to jaw-dropping surprise back to recognition, this time with an almost sadistic pleasantness behind it.

"Well, he won't have them much longer. Come in, you guys. I've got something to show you…" she walked off, the two right on her heels. They came to some stairs that led into the basement, and turned to a hallway with a single room at the end. The door had an electronic lock, and after inputting the keycode, it beeped and clicked, signalling its unlocking.

"Come in, and close the door behind you." Nick did so, with Judy staying ahead of him. Inside was a decently large planning room, with a whiteboard covered in notes and diagrams. Blueprints of buildings and a map of a certain part of the city were pinned to the walls, with each of these having been drawn on to them being nearly indecipherable. And even with their limited experience, they knew what they were looking at.

"You're planning a swat strike? How long have you guys been planning all of this?" They looked around at everything. It was quite in depth and extensive. Everything from the main streets to side alleys even to cracks in walls and fences were jotted down, with unit placements and strike patterns along with a very detailed schematic of the building being assaulted. A large one, three stories. The first floor was a high end restaurant, and the second containing rooms much like a hotel, and the third being a single apartment penthouse.

"Not actually. It was going to be a small sting operation, but a part of it all fell apart. There's a security system in the kitchen that keeps anyone that isn't authorized through the back way from getting in that way. We were planning on getting a VIP to go undercover with me, but we hit a stumbling block…" She trailed off after that, thinking about something.

"What, couldn't get anyone to go with you? I'm not surprised." Nick fired, taking a sip of water, having grabbed a cup from a water cooler in the corner of the room. His comment elicited a scowl from the two females in the room, but Judy simply half sighed half chuckled and let it go. Honeylemon, on the other hand, wasn't about to.

"You fucking nerve-herder. NO, if you must know. I actually got Winsor Weaslet to agree. In fact, she was quite handsy when I told her about it." She shot back, her scowl deepening even after she said that.

"Well what's the problem?" Judy asked, pushing past their intense glares at each other.

"Well, unfortunately, Vartini's goons found out about it. They got a mouse into the ventilation systems for the upstair conference room and they found out about Miss Weaslet. One of the reasons the author dropped all of her book signings for the next couple of months. She's terrified, and I don't have a celebrity." The look of pain on her face was obvious.

"Well now you do. Nick and I could do it." Her response got a similar response from the other two mammals, their incredulous looks speaking for them.

"What? Nick and I are heroes. The whole city knows us and loves us. You don't get much more celebrity status than that. Heck, if we wanted to we could've had Gazelle on speed dial." They had to admit, she wasn't wrong. They had been personally invited to interviews and chats with major public figures in the days immediately after the Night Howlers case, and the requests never really stopped, just slowed down. If anyone was a star, it would definitely be them.

"But you guys are famous for being cops. Well, one of you at least. That's not exactly someone he would be willing to invite to his restaurant." Honey objected, and with a reasonably powerful point. At that Judy looked away, trying to think. The two just watched her, and Nick stifled a chuckle when her foot began to lightly thump. Then she spoke up again.

"Well, what do you need? We have the celebrity status, and we might have a a couple other cards up our sleeves to deal with that little problem." She pressed on, determined. The expressions on their faces weren't very reassuring, but Honey went with it.

"Well… when he invites a VIP to the resort, he offers them full tour, and if they like what they see, then he's willing to give them a complimentary stay for a couple of days or so in return for their endorsements or for a ringing review afterwards. We need someone on the inside to plug in a small HAB device and have it go off right after midnight. The restaurant should be empty but still open, meaning the backdoor and kitchen will be accessible. Then my team and I go in, with security blind and everyone thinking it's just a standard power outage we can get to Vartini without too much of a mess. And if your killers are in there, them too." The badger's plan was quite efficient, and minimized risk and casualty count, causing a sense of admiration in the bunny. However, the risk for the the in the building would be rather high…

"What's an HAB? Sounds like something I really don't want to get." Nick questioned, his mood keeping to his typical lighthearted demeanor.

"Ugh, you dumb fox. HAB stands for 'High Amperage Burst' device. We just got in a few. They force a high current into a local power grid to short out the power. One in his hotel could take down the power of the entire block for 4 minutes." She explained, quipping at the larger mammal. Afterwards, they all sat in silence, trying to think of something. Nick walked around pacing and lightly rubbing his lower jaw, Judy's foot thumping sporadically, and Honeylemon's eyes shifting between the two. After a couple moments, she thought of something, and the dots connected in her head.

"OH! OH I KNOW!" She exclaimed, causing the detectives to jump, stirred from their thoughts. She grabbed a folder from underneath a small stack (which Nick had to keep from toppling over), and opened it, muttering something unintelligible underneath her breath as she did so. "Look! Okay, so Vartini isn't really the most honourable or even the most pleasant rat. But he's not exactly evil. On a lot of social issues, he's actually quite progressive. In fact, his son and two of his daughters are in interspecies relationships, which unfortunately for him, he's had to hide for fear of a lash back. If we can circulate rumours among business owners that you two are looking for a place to… well… _**be together**_ , then I bet you all the money in the world he'll jump at the chance to endorse it. And no better way than giving a new couple their first getaway?" She hadn't noticed, but the two were now blushing quite feverishly. Judy hadn't really thought about them going as dates, much less staying a couple days as a 'couple' according to everyone on the outside. She had hoped to play it cool and lowkey, and let the excitement and the closeness of the day have their way. This was becoming much more than she had bargained for, and now she currently couldn't really back out of it. And it seemed as though Nick was feeling the same sort of uneasiness… _Is it for the same reason…? Or should I be worried? UGH, why can't this be simpler…_ Her thought were quite single minded at that point. Nick bashfully chuckled, and then spoke, causing her heart to skip a beat an anticipation.

"I guess that won't be a problem… right, Carrots?" The response answered none of her mind's raging questions. But something glinted in his eyes, those emerald spheres speaking volumes. In that moment, her breathing slowed and she collected herself quickly.

"No, of course not. We need someone to spread the rumours under the table though. If it gets too public then he'll be suspicious, won't he?" She was almost surprised at how well she recovered. Honey nodded, agreement in her face.

"That might take a while. No point in hanging out around here. I have calls to make and you guys should probably go and get ready for it." She began to hurry out the door before slamming it closed and turning to them.

"None of this leaves this room, got it? This room doesn't have any windows, the ventilation here is too small for even a cricket to get through, and it's sound proof. This is the only place either of you are to speak of this, got it? So when I open the door, I'm going to be congratulating the two you on something and I'm going to leave quickly. You leave after me and make sure the door is shut behind you, got it?" Her calm yet stern demeanor plus the door slam got to the two of them, and they swiftly nodded their heads in agreement and understanding, to which she barked a laugh, opened the door, and promptly left, with neither of them hearing the 'congratulations'.

* * *

 **Hallo everybody. So I've gotten most of my collegiate problems out of the way. I hope you all like it. If someone can catch the references made in here, then I'll let you name a character, or have your own cameo. Same thing with the previous challenge. If you guys would share and review, that would be a really nice motivator to get me to write more. It's nice when a writer's story is appreciated, ya know?**

 **Also, special thanks to** **Meh1234321 for their encouragement on the last chapter. I'll try to keep them coming as much as possible.**

 **Another thing; I'm trying to decide when I should upload chapters. Should I upload them as I finish them, or upload them at a certain time (for instance, I'm uploading this 12 PM US Pacific time, but I finished it last night, around 8 PM).**


	7. Chapter 6

Pawtorias was scribbling down notes. The old cheetah had been quite informative. A lot of it the agent already knew, but certain details were… enlightening. Of course, there were probably even more he could decipher about the nobleman and his web of informants from the little side comments and intonation on Krava's voice, but he would need time to go through all of the details. The notes the wolf seemed fit to write down as Reika put her mate down for the night were mostly for Hopps and Wilde, as he knew he would remember all of it just fine. However, just how much he should tell the two was up for debate in his mind, as too much could jeopardize everything, but not enough would hinder their abilities, something the canine felt as though he didn't have the luxury of time to do.

"That much is obvious. Time works against you, hunter, as it does most surrounding this case." Reika's comment, plucking the thought straight out of his head, would've caused him to jump, had he not had the discipline that came with the decades of experience of dealing with such… enigmatic figures. She was definitely an odd one. Not of the same strain as Krava, but eccentric nonetheless. She held a cynical wisdom about her, an air of a mentor with damper lessons to teach. She had started calling him 'hunter' earlier, after he let slip that he was tracking some one. Whether it be a title or a proper name, he simply couldn't tell, while he doubted it was a compliment, it wasn't really an insult either. More simply just… a description.

Not being one to shy away from melancholy, and having learned an open mind is far more useful, he engaged her, hoping to delve into her secrets. "You have answers." He said, not bothering with fanciful speech or interesting verbiage. She, however, did.

"For the right questions, yes. Though many have answers for different questions, and some even have contradictory answers for the same question. But that is not why you've turned your attention to me, now isn't it, hunter, Sif, son of Manus?" His father's name caused him to scowl, now on the defensive.

"How did you-" She cut him off before he could finish, keeping in control of the situation and the conversation.

"You're lineage is apparent, hunter, especially to those of us who know the signs. You bare the eyes of a Pawtorias; eyes that see all and see far. You step with the burden of a thousand secrets, and your shoulders hold the world as we know it. You exemplify your family's markings; you wear the name on your sleeve." She said, as if it was all so obvious. It probably was to her, and if he bothered paying attention, himself as well.

"Damn mysticism…" he growled as he went back to work on the notes. She wasn't about to let the comment go without reply.

"You gripe about that which you so deftly shook your head at all those years ago, hunter. It was your decision to so arrogantly ignore the teachings of your ancestors, and not that decision is rearing it's head, showing you the folly of closing your eyes to something you have not right denying." Her sharp tongue and harsh criticism struck him as much as the shaking realization that she knew much more about him than he had first been led on to believe. _Of course she does. Assume she knows everything… that's the only way you'll come out of this with your head on straight_ , he thought, yet the voice in his head was not his one. It didn't matter. The advice was sound and definitely something he was going to do.

"Okay then, Mrs. Springslink, may I ask what questions you could answer then? You obviously know more than your mate is willing to divulge." He said, taking on a edge to his voice. If it affected her, she didn't show it.

"Many questions, far too many to recount here. That is besides the point though. If you do not know the question, what would be the point in answering it for you? You ask for a question without knowing the purpose for it." She replied, a response that he had expected.

"Sometimes information stands on it's on feet; the reasons for knowing it come later." He matched her philosophical musings with his own idea. The metaphorical parry gave her a second to pause, obviously not expecting him to dance in her little show. It didn't last long.

"To know things aimlessly and without reason is to open one up to the far more dangerous things than ignorance. My answers are not meant for you. You are here for my husband's memories, and those you shall get." She was quick to the point, not leaving herself open to another rebuttal. He tried however, looking for a crack in her armour.

"What could be more dangerous than ignorance?" He prodded. Her self-righteous huff prompted a glare from the gray wolf, irritated with how she treated him as nothing more than a form of entertainment.

"Never you mind. I find it surprising that your father never made a point of stressing these fears to you. Although, his echo might not have truly reached you by now, and may never." Her comments furthered his scowl, but he decided he couldn't best her at her own game, and so played along.

"What echo? What do you mean?" He asked her question.

"Despite everything you've been through, have you truly learned nothing? Our lives do not stand on their own merits; each are the culminations of the echos of millions of actions that came before us, making us who we are, so that way we may in turn take actions that cast their echos, further affecting those in time. It seems as though your father's actions have not yet fully hit you, his echo not yet reached you, hunter." Her philosophy made him think; that much that she had said was, to be honest, as true as he could imagine, whether he thought she meant metaphorically or mystically was besides the point. But he knew it didn't matter at the moment. Getting her to talk did.

"You never answered the question, Mrs. Springslink." He said, pushing the former statement.

"Oh, you naive little pup. You meddle in things you could not possibly understand. It seems to be a shared trait across your generation." Her allusion elicited a growl from him. She ignored it, and continued.

"Think. Take just a moment, and follow the idea wherever it may lead. Every action, whether it be hiding a secret, searching for it, or even leaving it where it lies, emits an echo. Arkous Savage has fallen into that trap; the danger of unearthing secrets never meant to be seen again. Some knowledge, some secrets, should remain secret, remain unknown. Arkous Savage is currently looking for one such secret. It could be argued the most dangerous one of them all." She said, letting it sink it. His look of skepticism got a frustrated sigh from the old feline, causing her to elaborate.

"His search is dangerous all in itself, even if he is stopped. His will actions carry an echo that will, in time, push for another to reach his prize. And if one finds and uncovers it, the fragile peace that has come over this land would be… in jeopardy at best." She said, and tone of fear instilled in her voice. He felt it ice his veins, a chill coming over him. He knew she meant to pass the fear to him, but he shook it off, pushing past it.

"Then you know what he's searching for?" His dark hope was apparent, fear and need and pain painted across his face, the hardened features practically demanding an answer.

"Yes, I know of what he seeks. I also know where it is hidden, the lock on the door, and the key to open it. In that sense, however, I am only one step ahead of him, and many ahead of you." She said, giving him both an answer and a question at the same time.

"Why is it so dangerous? What is it?" He growled, commanding an answer. Her response was tempered, containing less answers than he had ordered.

"Are you not listening? We are reacting to the echoes of actions from those long dead, those long gone. These echoes have been affecting the world for millennia. But these echoes aren't purposeless. They are ripples with reason. What could more terrifying than a being so powerful, so patient, and so careful, as to direct the course of animal history with not but echoes? Without actions on their own but simply emphasis on certain aspects of others? For one to hit just the right points, tap just the right spots, emphasize in just the right way just the right aspects to just the right degree of just the right actions, is a power that no one should have. The few who do, are more dangerous than the greatest weapons you or your government could possibly erect to fight them. That is why the secret is so dangerous. It **wants** to be found." He voice was a mix of a hiss and a whisper, sending shivers down his spine. Yet, his irritation at her dodging his question overrode pushed his hand.

"WHAT IS It…" he rambled off, his eyelids closing quickling, as he fell in the couch he had been sitting on, sleep overtaking him.

"No, that is not the conversation for now, as those answers are not for you. Sleep, hunter. Tomorrow he will give you your answers, and then you'll be on your way. For now, I must collect my thoughts. When they arrive, I must be ready to give them their answers, as he is ready to give you yours." Her comment hung in the air, slowly being soaked in by the now unconscious wolf. She stalked off to the bedroom, ending the conversation on the incredibly terrifying hint.

* * *

The two detectives sat in silence, heading towards Sahara Square. Nick was obviously the more comfortable of the two, his relaxed attitude clear as day, while Judy was mulling over what had just happened. _He's okay with this? People thinking we're… How can he be so nonchalant about it? Isn't it weird for ahim at all? WHY CAN'T HE DO THAT THING WHERE HE TALKS AND READS MY-_

"It's okay Carrots, I hear you loud and clear." He spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. Despite her hoping he would do something to that effect, the fact that he actually could irritated her more, causing a bit of an outburst.

"HOW DO YOU DO THAT? CAN YOU REALLY READ MY MIND?" She yelled, fuming.

"Nah, you're just easy to read. Plus, when you get really deep in thought, you start talking out loud without realizing it. It's quite-" he explained, before the bunny swiftly interrupted him.

"Don't you dare call me cute." She said, not in the mood for his antics. He laughed her threat off, but heeded it nonetheless. With her in a mood, he didn't really want to push her… yet.

"Nick, I sort of need you to talk to me right now. I know I sort of coaxed you into it by suggesting it in the first place, but this has sort of gone much further than I expected. At first I thought it would just be a dinner, and then the bust, which would be fairly easy. But now it's both deeper and longer than that." Her personal issues were finally coming up, though subtly and layered in how he felt.

"Well Carrots, it's all pretty simple to me. First off, we both get a fancy meal at a nice restaurant paid for by the department, and then I see it going a few ways: A, everything goes swimmingly and we stop playing these games and just get together and that's that. There's B, where the raid goes poorly and we keep playing this game until one of us dies or the other finally decides to make a move. Then there's C, where we don't actually get to go on the mission anyway so it was all for not, then we have to wait one of us to die or for the other one to finally make that move, which in all respects is a special version of B, as it just lacks our free meal." The blush on her face was so adorable all Nick could do was withhold his coos. As this point, she was so red she could probably blend in with his fur, making her even (dare he think it) cuter than before. Her embarrassment was so well displayed she might as well have been going on a dramatic monologue about it. But she refrained. And for whatever reason, simply moved on, causing him to laugh in slight disbelief.

"But there are going to be rumours, and we'll have to stay the night in the same room, probably in the same bed. I don't know about you, but I know I've never experienced that sort of thing before…" her diminishing voice got him to cock his head to one side, pondering on what she was saying, or more accurately, asking. _Are you really the jealous type, Carrots? I don't know how I feel about that…_ he thought to himself with a smirk, half forced and half genuine.

"Haha… are you the jealous type? I guess I could sort of believe it, with you being so competitive." He came out, trying to be as straightforward as possible, but also looking to avoid the question being asked.

"What? No, why would I be jealous? Nothing to be jealous about. It wouldn't bother me at all. I am not competitive. How dare you- we're here! Come on, let's go." She huffed, not able to lie convincingly but also indignant at the charge of being jealous. As she hopped out of the car he chuckled to himself, her exasperation infinitely amusing to the fox. He climbed out too, as they brought their attention back to the job at hand. Their drive to Sahara square brought them to a rather new factory at the center of the industrial district. Pawtorias's contact here, a calico cat by the name of Lacey Dew, was the Vice President of the corporation that owned the factory, and several others in the city. While the larger factories mainly made toys, or processed raw goods, such as ore and lumber, into refined materials for buildings or further production, the smaller facilities were licensed out to produce materials both the ZSIS and the ZPD. In fact, both Judy and Nick had special ordered their swat gear and standard protection gear from one such factory in the Rainforest district. The company was the only one legally allowed to manufacture firearms within the city, and only on request with permission for the sale of the weapon as well. Not only that, to keep that allowance, the company spent millions of dollars annually to track weapons, and several times in the past were a key component to finding and taking down illegal manufacturers and gun trafficking. Which is why they decided to start asking questions here. They walked in, almost openly surprised by how open the entrance hall was. It wasn't the standard for factories; the clean white marble floor and high vaulted ceiling were more trademarks of high rise hotels, or the fancy office buildings of a corporate center. Towards the back of the room was a single secretary, a gazelle with a nice pantsuit on working steadily on a computer, her eyes either content or slightly interested in what she was doing. They wasted not time walking up to her, and she wasted none either, speaking to them immediately.

"Hello, and welcome to Carkitty Enterprises. If you're here for employment opportunities, they're open on in the offices down the hall to the right. If you have an appointment, please give me your name and just one second to bring it up." She said as she finished up whatever she was working on. As she did, she quickened her typing pace to hurry it up. Whatever it was, it came to an end quite quickly, and was able to finally give her full attention to the two detectives.

"Do I know you two? You look oddly familiar. And there aren't a lot of bunnies running around with foxes, so I highly doubt you remind me of someone else. Although, I do have a fairly bad memory…" Her pleasantly talkative behaviour reminded the two of another front desk persona they dealt with on a more daily basis. But they weren't here to think about their favourite overweight cheetah.

"We don't have an appointment, but we need to talk to Miss Dew. We're with the ZPD, working on an investigation with Agent Pawtorias, and she might have information that could help us with this." Judy took the lead. She dropped Sif's name, hoping to speed this along. Instead of shooing them away, like they expected, she picked up the phone, entered a number, and sat, waiting for the line to pick up.

"Miss Dew, you have to officers here claiming to be here on behalf of an Agent Pawtorias… Oh, okay then ma'am… but miss, you do have… okay, I'll push your appointments backs. What would you like me to tell Mr. Dew… I will do ma'am. I'll send them up immediately ma'am." The phone call was short, and it was very obvious to the both of them all of a sudden just how useful knowing the agent might be. The gazelle hit some keys on her keyboard, and behind her an elevator down opened, revealing it hidden in the wall.

"You may use the emergency elevator to head straight to her office. Please don't dawdle, she's expecting you. Take care." She hurried them into the small room, before closing the door. There were no buttons on the inside, and the nondescript interior was boring to an unusually high degree, especially in comparison to the area they were just in. It started up almost immediately.

"Is it just me, or does his name literally open doors? I swear, if I ever get the chance to get a transfer, I might just take it." Nick commented, his cocky atmosphere seemingly sticking even to her, as she laughed and almost felt it too. That last comment hit her wrong though, and she made a mental note to ask more later. Before either one could say something else, there was a beep, and the elevator came to a halt, with the doors behind them opening up to a large office. Directly in front of them was a nice glass desk, and sitting on top of it was, presumably, Lacey Dew. She wore a long red silk dress, that parted on the side mid way down her thigh, obviously highly inappropriate for work, but she didn't seem to care. Over that she had on an open long black form fitting coat, that was meant not to cover up but to accentuate the colour of the dress. She had brushed her fur in a way as to cover one of her eyes, allowing the other to be all the more expressive. And currently, between her stance, her eye, and her clothes, all made Judy fume with the jealousy she had so firmly denied.

"Hello there. It's been awhile since Pawtorias sent someone to knock on my door. I hope I can make the two of you more _comfortable_ while you're here…" her sultry voice did nothing for the rabbit's nerves. Unfortunately for both of the females, Nick had thrown on his sunglasses, making his expression nearly imperceivable, as he kept his smile firm and unchanging. _Of course he would. 'Never let anyone see they get to you'... damn fox…_

"Please, come this way, don't be a stranger." She said as she circled them, eying Nick like a piece of meat. Judy could barely contain her frustration as the cat ever so slightly caressed the fox's arm, as she pulled the two to the desk. Already Judy knew she was going to regret this.

* * *

Pawtorias's eyes shot open as he registered the time. Despite the misty shroud, he knew it was midmorning, his internal clock screaming at him. Something else had stirred him, though, something external. He didn't really remember falling asleep, no matter how hard he tried. All he could remember was getting angry, and then getting halfway through his question and then… blackness. It was only a moment before he realized what had happened.

"Blasted female… what the hell did she do to me?" He scathed under his breath as he sat up, his anger apparent.

"No point getting angry with her, you won't be speaking with her again." The old butler said, as he hobbled into the room, two cups of tea in his paws. He glanced over to the old mammal, gladly accepting one of the cups, and took a quick swig.

"She's definitely a peculiar mammal. In the old Fauxfang home, she would lock herself in the library for hours, especially when we were all young. When our first master began to give her responsibilities around the home, he took that into consideration, and kept her oriented towards the books and teachings she so adored. When Lord Xalas became the head of the household, she became quite a recluse, and buried herself into ancient tomes and scrolls hidden deep in the cellars of the old mansion. Sometimes I wouldn't see her for days. It was around this time that she lost her sight, and became the sharp tongued witch you met yesterday." His smile disarmed the would be insult, showing an affection Sif hadn't expected. The wolf took the sign to heart, before he took another sip.

"Now, what other questions do you have?"

"Actually, sir, I think I'm done here. I must be leaving soon…"

* * *

The cat must've been intent on confusing the bunny. At first, Judy had been sure that the calico had been flirting with Nick, but it wasn't long before the feline was making similar movements and touches to Judy as well, leaving the bunny feeling almost… violated. Their idle chit chat was getting tiresome though, so Nick ended it quite quickly.

"Miss Dew, Agent Pawtorias sent us to query you on several sales and a break in attempt you had recently. He thinks that both are related to our investigation. So could you please stop groping my partner and myself and talk to us like the professionals we all are?" His straightforward response caused her to pout a bit, her face contorting into a mixture of exaggerated hurt and an adorably sad attempt to hide it.

"Is Sif gonna come around…?" she pouted, earning a glare from a from the rabbit.

"No ma'am. He is currently unavailable, being tied up at the scene of the crime. It's just us for this visit." Judy snapped at the cat, losing her patience as Miss Dew's foot began slowly sliding up Nick's leg.

"Oh hmph. Damn, well, enough of that then…" her demeanor change shocked them for a second, prompting a question.

"Wait, were you doing that all for his benefit? I've heard of quite a few different kinks, but I'm pretty sure that takes the cake." Nick's comment irritated his partner, but the calico simply laughed at it.

"Hahaha. Well, you'll never meet someone like me. It all started about 3 years ago. He came in, asking about very similar things. Well, I was a bit younger at the time, and a fair bit more… forgetful, and I had forgotten to take my monthly pills, and one thing led to another…" she trailed off, getting a pretty good laugh from Nick, and a look of deep embarrassment from Judy. Her silence did last long, and she quickly spoke up, hoping to change the subject.

"Okay, so now that we have that pit of unnecessary information in our heads playing havoc with our thoughts, can we please get to business?" She spoke up, killing the mood. Or, at least trying to.

"Ahh, yes. Well let's start with that attempted break in. It was at one of our contracted facilities, so the robbers could've have been easily going for weapon part or ammunition. However, our private security systems dissuaded them before they could get into the storage rooms or the server rooms. They didn't make off with anything. They couldn't have." Miss Dew's now appropriate tone and attitude finally made Judy comfortable with the setting.

"Wait, so your security kept them from getting into your store rooms, but you don't know who they are?" Nick kept asking the questions.

"Unfortunately. The perpetrators were clean, and very, very well trained. It's been a long time since we've seen someone this organized, and our security forces weren't exactly prepared to deal with this event." She responded. But she wasn't done yet.

"The local police precinct committed quite some resources to the case, but came up with nothing. All we know about the group is that there was 3 of them, all small mammals, at largest a rabbit. Other than that, we don't really have much else to go off of." This closed one door, but had other questions still. This time Judy spoke up.

"Thank you for that. We were hoping you could tell us more about three specific sales, each having to do with highly advanced computer hardware pieces, each to raccoons that had the parts shipped to the outskirts of different city districts." She detailed the transactions, and pulled out a paper with more details on it, handing it to the Vice President.

"Ahh yes, the odd ones. Those orders confused us. In fact, the salesmammal that was handling it came to both I and Mr. Dew asking if he should approve it. The parts were large, high end processors. They're mainly used in large encoding and decoding computers, or supercomputers that compute and run large, finely tuned simulations. Each customer ordered 4. To put these processors in perspective, one of them is enough to manage all of the basic systems in the city. There are two, one as a back up, but the second one hasn't been turned since they were installed. Simply nothing for it to do." She said, causing the two to take on a questioning look, obviously confused.

"We don't really broadcast it, but Carkitty Industries has a paw in pretty much everything. Several years ago, Mr. Dew purchased Micropaws and Intel Tech. Ever since, we've had several labs and smaller factories working on computer technology. Designing a system to manage the city's networks and different mechanics was actually our first big contract. I was quite pleased with how we handled it, even if it wasn't very profitable." She elaborated, enlightening the detectives, which nodded as they followed along. Nick then had another question to ask.

"So why would anyone need 4, much less 12?" His question was straightforward, and so was her answer.

"I have no idea." Not to be dissuaded, Judy followed up.

"Can we maybe talk to one of your researchers, or someone who was on the project then? They might have a better idea." At that, the calico turned away from her computer, and faced them entirely. Had it been Nick that made the suggestion, she might have taken it as an insult, but Judy was a different person entirely. She cleared her voice, and took a proud posture, lacing her fingers as she put her elbows on the desk and crossed her legs.

"My dear, I have a PhD in Microcomputer Engineering, with a Masters in both Microchip Architecture and Computer Design. My doctoral dissertation was on the installation of microprocessors in macro structures for high output processing levels. Before I had this job, I was the lead researcher in processor technology at Intel, and am the primary architect for that processor unit. No one know it better than I do, darling." She said, her eyes slightly condescending, but her voice sincere. As she went through her spiel, Judy's ears fell, a look of awe and embarrassment on her face. Miss Dew was quick to reassure her though.

"Don't worry about it though. I would be more surprised if you knew that. Not many corporate goons actually have any idea what it is their company does. I am not one of those types of executives." She said, her tail flicking with pride.

"Okay then, Dr. Lacey Dew, why would anyone need a computer so powerful?" Nick spoke up, a smooth, almost flirtatious tone on his voice, causing Judy to twitch with annoyance.

"Mmm… well, _detective_ , my professional thought remains the same: I have no idea." She responded to his tone, matching it in the beginning, before getting back to a more appropriate voice. "I couldn't conceive of something that would require that sort of numbers crunching. But, I can tell you this," her attitude shifted, taking on a dead serious expression, "whatever it is, it's definitely tied to something illegal. Unless someone needs to run multiple decoding software, simulations, and management programs, and even then you could probably run them all off of one unit with a thorough cooling system." She explained, further deepening the mystery of the purchase. This caused Judy to put aside her jealousy for a moment. _Sif had it in his notes that the raccoons in the purchase are all connected to Vartini… the rat must've traded the purchase of those computer parts for the assistance of Savage's agents. But what does Arkous want with the processors…?_

"However, unlike with the robbers, we can tell you exactly where the raccoons went, and where they asked us to ship the parts. I'm printing the addresses right now." Her addition was very much welcomed, as they were afraid of hitting another dead end. She picked up the papers from her printer hidden underneath her desk, and handed them to Nick. As he looked over them, she started to talk again.

"I'm almost positive that's everything. Now I have meetings I can't really postpone any longer, so I'm going to have to ask you both to leave. But please, don't be strangers. I would _adore_ it to see both of you here again, and maybe next time for less formal reasonings…" her overly flirtatious attitude came back into play, signalling to Judy that it was finally time to leave.

"I think something like that could be arranged. Give Carrots here a reason to hop out of her box." Nick joked as he followed up Judy's goodbye, earning him a swift elbow to the hip to accompany his chuckle and Lacey Dew's obnoxiously loud purring.

* * *

 **Hallo ev'rybody. I hope I'm catching my few readers on a good day. If not, then please look up something hilarious/adorable/heartwarming and cheer up. Unless it's the overload of good things that's bringing you down... then all I can say is "you lucky bastard"...**

 **Anywho, we're getting close to the exciting parts, which is going to make it all the more difficult to write the two chapters in between then and now as I write and rewrite said exciting parts in my head.**

 **If you could leave a review, that would be great. I spent quite some time reading my other chapters to get this one right, and I think the quality has... deteriorated. I would love to know what you guys think. Also while doing so I found all of my spelling errors on my previous chapters, so I might be reuploading some of them with corrections.**

 **Thanks, please read and review. See you in another week or so.**


	8. Chapter 7

The melancholy melody of a piano's music rang through the halls of the resort, weaving a somber spell over those that heard it. The elegant notes were so smoothly connected, so well played, it was impossible to not stop and listen for just a moment when it was first heard, captivating nearly everyone in the building. The few lingering patrons in the restaurant had the pleasure of not only hearing the song unmuffled by walls, but to also see the vixen playing the instrument.

The arctic fox was entrenched by her own music, so engulfed in what she was doing, she ignored the stares coming from the diners, whether they be similarly enamoured, or more focused on the mammal playing than the music itself. Few noticed the large black fox walking up behind her. He wore slightly outdated formal wear, with a long coat over his suit, his sparkling royal blue eyes stared at her as she slipped past the tables to her. As he got closer, she deepened her playing, but not quickening her tempo. When the male fox finally got to her, he simply stood next to her, listening to her play, taking in emotions packed into the piece. Had either one of them allowed one of their viewers to see their faces, they would've seen the tears escaping their eyes, but that remained unnoticed, completely unseen.

And as she came to a close, the power of the song reaching it's climax, the guests found tears in their own eyes, and couldn't stop them from spilling over. By the time she hit the final notes, the entire crowd was trying to clean their faces, hoping to catch the tears before they left their eyes completely. That final note did the few in that had caught their tears at first, leaving the lot of diners and many of the more hearing acute clients in the hotel rooms upstairs into ball of tears. The two vulpines waited for the vast majority of the mammals to try to head of to the restrooms before they disappeared, heading back to the sub level and to their modest accommodations and out of any possible limelight. When they got their, the vixen quickly cleaned herself up, dabbing the bluish white dress she had on to avoid tear stains in it. Her companion was composed, but voiced his displeasure.

"You can't do that here. This place isn't like Savage's bases. Had there been another fox out there, they would've recognized the song almost instantly. We would've been discovered." He was practically emotionless, but something in his tone held a sort of… empathy? Sympathy?

"I know, I know. But I had to play. I remember when they would be practicing, oh, how loverly it would be to sit and just listen to them play. Ya know, he got really good before the end. He could even play _Total Result_ the same way we do before everything." She responded, her remorseful feeling and reminiscent atmosphere permeating the air. The larger fox looked at her, and for a second a real show of sorrow crossed his face, before he diverted his gaze.

"I know, Lucia. I know."

* * *

Judy sat in the passenger seat of one of the 'tanks' the ZPD had normally commissioned to officers. As a precaution against anyone following the two back to Nick's place and discovering where he lived, they had had Wolford go by her place and pick up clothes for her and bring them back to the precinct, and Nick and her packed up nearly everything into a squad car and drove out. He also had refused to tell her where he lives, forcing her to let him drive. This was a new thing for her, as she almost never sat in the passenger seat. In fact, she hadn't since she was 15 and she finally got her license, after which she demanded to be the driver every time she got into the car, a behaviour that, plus her fierce protectiveness over her vehicle and willingness to learn how to do maintenance on it herself contributed to her father's nickname for her, "Jude the Dude". At this point she didn't really know how to deal with not being the driver, and found herself motioning along with nick to the different aspects; slowly stretching her foot as they approached stop signs and intersections and right turns, trying to glance at the mirrors as they made their turns and lane changes, and even twitching her paws as if she had her hand on the wheel.

"I hope you know you're not actually controlling me like a puppet Carrots. There are not strings on me." He teased her, getting a scowl and loud 'hmmph' in response as she crossed her arms in mock irritation. He laughed at her exaggerated response.

"I know I'm not driving… I didn't think I was." She indignantly huffed. She couldn't stay angry at him though, and soon started to laugh at herself. It was refreshing after the long day they had had. After the meeting with Lacey Dew, the other two contacts they had met with were relatively disappointing, as neither one had any new information for the detectives. After that they were able to find out where or to whom the raccoons had sent the processor units, and it seemed as though Judy's guess had been correct; they were indeed sent to Arkous Savage. The both of them knew that it was illegal to ship those sort of things out of the city without heavy background checks directly from the manufacturer, so it wasn't surprising that he would use such a simple workaround. But that didn't answer why he wanted them, nor what he did with them. Which all meant that they didn't really have much to say for today, asides from their moving HQ of course. Due to their lack of action for the day, they had remained quiet for most of the ride, only speaking really when Nick pulled over to get food. As they approached Vixshire, Judy realized she had assumed he lived elsewhere, prompting a conversation starter.

"Nick, do you live in Vixshire?" She had thought it possible in the morning, but didn't really devote it to memory.

"Yeap. Born and raised, just like most foxes in the city." He replied, a smile on his face, pride in his voice. A small tick of fear prodded Judy in the back her of mind, but she ignored it.

"How deep in do you live? How big is the place?" She asked as they turned into the semi-closed off area of the city. The change in architecture from the very modern and contemporary buildings of the main city to the older, more traditional and artistic villas and open air shops of the borough was a big one, and one that took her by surprise.

"Wow… this place… it's…" she started, unable to find the right words.

"Gross? Old? C'mon, you've got the right word in there somewhere." Nick jokingly tried to finish her sentence, but for the moment she ignored him, as her mind went in the complete opposite direction.

"Gorgeous." She finally came out and said, surprising the fox with her choice. As she looked around, she was awed by the simple beauty of the place, before she started to recognize all the flaws. Many of the shops had fallen into disrepair, and the poverty was apparent. The grime and unpleasant dirt was a tear jerking moment for the bunny, as she could still see the lovely sight underneath it all. To her, all that the streets needed were a good wash, the buildings a nice cleaning, and everything would be almost dreamy; like a bewitching country get away spot, here in the city.

"Hahaha. Haven't heard anything like that in a long while. Yeah, home saw its glory days way back when. Been downhill for the past 20 years or so. Wouldn't be so bad if everyone didn't look down on foxes so much, although here we sort of pushed that stereotype to an extreme, so I guess it's sort of our bad too." He said, talking about the area. Judy saw an opportunity, so she took it, hoping, begging in her head to get him to open up.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, as you know foxes aren't the most… trusted mammals in the city, and having the vast majority of us all in one spot kind of leads to rumours. Mainly wild tales about a buffalo walking through town only to get out of it and realize he's been robbed of all but his underwear and never noticing. Absurd tales, most of which don't really have a basis, except maybe a local started the rumour with an exaggeration of something they actually did do. And we foxes aren't really welcoming to outsiders, especially when… the Fauxfang family… well, yeah." She noticed how he stumbled and tried to avoid talking about the family, and while she didn't want to push it, she was dying to know more.

"What do you mean? Why were they so important?" She asked, hoping that would be prying too much. It wasn't… yet.

"Well, to start with, it's always nice having a billionaire nearby. No rich guy wants to live in a slum. But it was more than that. Unlike most rich people, The Fauxfang family was known for helping to build up the little guys. They invested and kept large deposits in small banks that normally wouldn't have had access to that kind of money. They were much better for the smaller businesses, having an option like that to turn to instead of something like Lemmings Brothers. Not only that, for as long as anyone's great grandfathers could remember, all the heads of households for the family were massive philanthropists, and promoted everything. If you had a talent and were passionate for it, it was hard to lose their help." He went through showering praises on the family for another couple of minutes, giving Judy time to think about what exactly they had meant, not to the city or the area, but to Nick personally. She barely even noticed as they pulled into a large warehouse, but the gentle rocking of the car snapped her back into reality, and her surroundings got her to ask the most obvious question.

"Um… Nick? Where are we?" She said, her eyes wide at that barely finished interior of a building. He grinned at her, his trademarked half-lidded smirk.

"Casa de Wilde, of course. Where else?"

"Wha-wait, are you telling me you actually live here? In this… place? Where even are we? Is this legal?" She bursted, confused and intrigued at the same time.

"Yes. Yes. 1844 Earwings Lane. And yes." He responded so nonchalantly as he hopped out of the car. She matched his confidence with reluctance, barely opening the door by the time he had walked around to her side of the vehicle. He reached up, catching her and a big whiff of her scent as she jumped down. If she wasn't so enthralled by where he lived, she would've noticed the deep breath he had taken, and how he held her just a little tighter, and was not willing to let go for a second as she tried to go and explore the area. All the subtle signs flew over her head as she quickly tugged loose from his grip.

"How long have you live here? Why? Are you sure this is legal?" She asked as she stared around in wonder. Nick leaned against the car, paws in his pockets.

"Haha. 19 years. I liked the wide open space and the lack of rent. I signed the paperwork 11 years back after living here for 8; squatter laws said it was officially mine, because the former owners hadn't tried to evict or collect rent or do anything with the building. Not to mention the company had gone under." He explained. He was surprised at her lack of incredulity. But then what he just said hit her.

"Wait, you own this place? That's… odd." She said as she continued to look around. The main complex wasn't much to look at, nor did it have a lot in the way of entertainment, but it was impressive to the tiny bunny.

"Odd, eh? How so?" Nick asked, curious as to what was in her head.

"Well, its just that… this place is so big… I…" as she looked for the right words, Nick walked over to his makeshift lift, starting to tease her.

"What? Is it extraordinary? Incredible?"

"Hmm… no. But I will say I'm surprised. You found a building large enough to fit your ego. I didn't think that was possible." She teased back, her retort stinging.

"Oh, how dare you. No need to sharpen your tongue on me Carrots. And here I thought we were friends." He took in the jab, playfully exaggerating it's affect. She caught up to him as he waved her over with the bag of her stuff under his arm.

"Let me give you a tour of the place." The tour was quick and mostly uneventful, going from the bathroom to the kitchen and ending in his bedroom.

"So you've really made this place your own little den, haven't you?" The bunny cooed, pointing out the various 'Nickisms' that were scattered throughout the place. It was all very Nick like, which the bunny found both adorable and charming at the same time.

"And you don't pay rent? This place must really be a steal then." She continued as he pulled out some blankets and pillows for her to take to the former employee lounge, and the couch that would be her bed for tonight.

"Not only that, before your little blackmailing I also used it as a tax right off, and the refund that it got me paid for utilities. I didn't pay a cent on this place for 10 years. Of course, after you held hat over my head, I sort of had to give up that little privilege." He jokingly complained as they walked back to the kitchen area.

"Oh sucks, you actually had to pay your fair share? How egregious." Her sarcasm was thick. They laughed for a moment, remembering the time they first met, and then the second time they met, and, of course, the all important third time when she had actually outsmarted the vulpine. That last comment brought a question to mind though…

"Wait, I've seen your taxes, Wilde. You didn't claim any property on them. Did you just try to lie to me?" She said, catching him on the little detail, to which he laughed.

"Oh please, don't think me too stupid. You didn't find my place of residence on those tax forms either, didn't you? But had you checked the taxes of a Mr. Crash Bandicoot, then you would've found it and the tax refund I had gotten for it." He grinned, his clever little trick causing him some pride.

"Sly fox you…" she grinned up at him. At that, they both started chuckling. When the laughs subsided, he spoke up again.

"Well, while you set yourself up, I'm going to go take a shower, alright? No peeking now," he said with a wink and smirk, soliciting a powerful blush and half scowl from the bunny as he headed to the bathroom. It was going to be an interesting night…

* * *

Or so the rabbit had thought. But shower time, for the both of them, and dinner had gone rather dully, and now the tiny police officer was lying on the old couch, trying to head off to bed. But she simply couldn't. There was too much going on in her mind to sleep. Not only that, Nick's scent was so thick here it was maddening. She could barely contain herself. She was finding him on her thoughts even more than usual, making it all the more difficult to think straight about nothing at all, a prerequisite for the sleep she was looking for. But with him surrounding her like he was, she simply couldn't, causing her to stir restlessly for hours. At some point, she reached over to the coffee table next to her, grabbing her phone to check the time. 12:36. Not too late. That means she's only been laying there for an hour like this. And as she saw the time, her mind hit a conversation she had dodged earlier.

 _If things go well, then we'll end up together_ , Nick's nonchalant voice carried into her head, almost as if he whispered it again in her ear. And as it did, she felt a courage she didn't really understand. But she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, and took advantage of the feeling and got up, tiptoeing down the hallway to his bedroom. She didn't know what was going to happening, or what she was even doing, but she knew she was doing something, and that felt a whole lot better than laying on the couch trying to force herself to sleep. When she got there, she noticed the big metal door to his room was slightly ajar, making it easier for her to sneak in. When she got in, she realized the room was much different with the lights off. The high windows in the back acted like a spotlight, with one beam hitting the wall next to the door and the other casted on the massive dresser, and the currently slumbering fox. When she saw him, she felt her heart skip a beat. He was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, and he was curled up, nestled in the bed of cushions and blankets, in a way that could only be described as cute. Realizing whatever heart to heart conversation she was looking for wasn't going to happen tonight, she turned to leave, but before she could, something piqued her curiosity.

The chest at the back of the room was large and ornate, and stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of the furnishings. The iron fittings and the intricate symbols etched into the wood screamed expensive, hollered antique, and whispered of answers. And while the honest, respectful, trustworthy cop side told her to go back to bed, she didn't. Curiosity got the best of her, and she hopped over to it, intent on just a peek.

The chest was taller than her, and with it being so old, she guessed it would be rather squeaking. So Reaching up, she opened it slowly, and when she had just enough space, she jumped onto the edge, getting enough height to open it the rest of the way. However, it had been quite loud, despite her slow and tedious attempts to keep the noise down. When it was finally open, she looked over at Nick, who hadn't stirred a bit. At that, she sighed in relief, grateful for whatever dreams were going through his head. At first it appeared there was nothing inside the trunk but linens and blankets, almost as if it was just more storage space. But Judy wasn't fooled.

 _If this was just more blankets, than he wouldn't have given me bedding from his own bed…_ she thought to herself, as something very strong hit her nose. The new scent wasn't Nick's, nor anyone else she recognized. The cool scent held a bit of mint on it, a bit of pine needles, an almost forestry fragrance. It smelled clean and light, not like the hardy odor Nick had. The stuff inside was obviously untouched for decades at least, yet there were no signs of dust. Hopping down, she moved the top layer of sheets to reveal what he was really hiding inside. Underneath the sheets lay expensive formal wear, all oddly styled, as if it all came out of a sci-fi movie or an anime show from TV. They smelled differently too, and after a quick investigation, she realized why; their inlines were obviously Nick, yet the scent had faded, with the surrounding perfume coating it thoroughly.

 _Who is this? What is all of this?_ The thoughts raged through her head as she kept looking. Under the garments lay hard things. Framed pictures and certificates. It was only then that she realized how dark it was, and how poor her night vision was. She could barely make out the figures in it, and there was no way she was going to read whatever was on the certificate. However, from the decoration she could assume it was some sort of… diploma maybe? Setting them down for a moment, she reached further into the box, her eyes no longer helping much, and her paws landed on two boxes; one long, the other small. Just as she was about to pick up the small one, she heard something that made her jump. A low, quiet whimper. Getting up on the pile of blankets, she peered over the lip of the chest, glancing at Nick. He was visibly disturbed, the dream he was having apparently going sour. Something about his shaking form, and effort to curl up into an even smaller size caused her heart to ache.

 _What am I doing? This is a such a betrayal. He trusted me with his privacy and I go and break that trust? You're better than this, Hopps._ She growled at herself as she put everything back, covering it all with the sheets again, and getting out, closing the lid behind her. She moved to leave the room, when something stopped her again, this time her favourite fox. He whimpered again, and his shaking got even more violent. Looking over at him, she worried for just a second, before moving to his bed and springing up next to him.

"Sh-sh-shhhh, it's okay." She murmured, reaching a paw out to stroke his ears and down his neck. That got the whimpering to stop, but not everything. And in its place, he started making another sound. Words this time.

"Car… Judy…" he whispered her name(s) so quietly she could barely hear it. The words melted her, and she could barely keep herself from snuggling the fox as she stared at him, tears growing in her eyes. When he seemed to calm down, she waited for a bit, and when she was sure he was was okay, kissed him on the forehead, and finally left the room. If she had stayed just a few seconds longer, that joy would've been very short lived, as Nick's restless night wasn't over, and the next name he muttered, wasn't hers.

* * *

Nick awoke early, the groggy feeling of a poorly spent sleep still hanging on him. Last night's terrors had started off like normal, but were anything but. As they had progressed, some part of the way he remembered being calmed, being soothed. As he straightened up, he strained to remember what he had dreamed about. And then it hit him. _Sly bunny… now you're even protecting me in my dreams…_ he thought to himself. He guessed as much would happen, but he hadn't expected her simply being under the same roof to have such an effect. Although, he wasn't about to second guess it, since it meant he was less likely to start one of Vixhsire's unique fox howls. Smiling despite his exhaustion, he grabbed his clothes to get ready, and then it hit him.

She had been in here. Last night. Her scent was much newer than when he went to sleep. Taking a second, he went around the room, trying to find out just where she went. _My bed… the door… oh no…_ his thoughts got complicated as he neared the chest. They quickly became worried as he found it wasn't locked. _Why didn't you lock it? What the hell is wrong with you? You knew she would do something like that. Why are you being so stupid?_ He berated himself, the funny little voice coming out to mock him this time.

"Well Carrots, I can't say I'm surprised. Although, I had hoped you would respect me just a little…" he said out loud, thinking about what to do next. He could always get angry, yell at her, make it known he didn't appreciate what she did. That would definitely get everything out in the open, and he could probably make the argument that he wasn't going to tell her if now he couldn't trust her. But… he wasn't angry, and the very idea of yelling at his favourite bunny sickened him. So, he would have to play it sly. Or comical. And when it came to him, it most likely would be both. So he grabbed the key from one of his desk drawers, locked it, and walked out of his room, terrified and curious about how the next hour or so would go.

* * *

Judy twitched herself awake, the smell of pancakes and cinnamon and blueberries and apples permeating the air. Had the couch felt more like her own bed, she would've snapped awake before jumping out of bed to find Nick cooking in her kitchen (when she moved in, he refused to give up the spare key the super had given him), and gladly awaited the deliciousness. He still refused to tell her the recipe for his cinnamon apple and blueberry pancakes, but as long as he kept making them she was satisfied. This time she took a different approach, and snuggled further into her bedsheets, trying to act asleep. Unfortunately for her though, she failed.

"Good morning Carrots. How well did you sleep?" the fox called back to her, causing her to drop the act.

"Okay, fine, how did you know?" She said as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up.

"You don't move in your sleep Carrots. So when you do move, I know you're awake. But that's good, because we have to talk." He said, his tone serious but his face so not so, both confusing and scaring her. He started up again before she could say anything.

"Ya know, the next time you go snooping through a canine's stuff, make sure you don't have a scent," _DAMNIT. How could I be so stupid…?_ She thought to herself, taking on a look of shame and embarrassment. He continued, "especially when said canine knows your scent so well. And the second thing: I know I'm really mysterious and you're probably just dying to get to know my cool superhero backstory, and I should've expected you to do something like this, so I'm not angry at you trying. Buu-uut I am gonna make it a lot harder for you to do so." He explained as he whipped the key from his pocket, showing it off to the little bunny. Her face was a mixture embarrassment and an entertained shamed, and with her ears down like that, she look positively… well, cute. _It's okay if I think it, right?_

"I'm guessing you locked the trunk? I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Her sincere apology came out, and Nick was willing to move past it, with another stipulation.

"Okay Carrots, I'm not mad at you. But one more thing? You don't tell anyone what you saw, and you only get to ask questions when I'm ready to answer, got it?" His light tone and jovial mood held out, despite how serious the demand was meant to be. With a quick nod of her head, she accepted his term.

"Good. So what about pancakes?"

* * *

 **Holy crap I wrote this one fast. I did not expect this. But I guess with boring ass classes like mine and a easy job I have enough time to do so. So, I hope you guys like this. I hope some one is actually reading it.**

 **Big thanks to _Rules Were Meant to Be Broken_ by Ultimate Naco Topping for the idea of "Vixburg", aka "Vixshire" in this story, and for Nick's housing arrangement. Check out his story, as it's definitely a good one.**

 **Please read and review, and if you want to have an input on the story, my allusion challenges from earlier still stand. Thanks.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hallo everyone. If you're a following reader, this isn't a new chapter, just 8 in the right place. Continue on to the next one for the real next chapter.**

* * *

The morning yielded nothing. The two beavers they had decided to talk to were both deceased, and as neither of them had their death made public, the detectives could only find out through a brief, but quite painful, discussion with their families, making the morning all the worse. They stopped by a local diner for lunch and to plan their next move, as well as shake the terrible feeling of opening old wounds for a grieving widow and mother.

"Okay, so that didn't go over so well. At least we know the next guy is alive." Their next contact, Dr. Zander Orshack, was the curator and head of the Natural History Museum, and foremost in his field on ancient mammalian history. Pawtorias had written extensively on their correspondence, taking notes on nearly every paper Orshack had sent him, and had made sure as to take the scientist's advice on many of the relics and sites the agent had recovered from Savage over the years, with many of them being preserved and stored under the best possible conditions money could buy on the ZSIS's dime, and then handed over to the museum for in depth analysis. What Savage was doing with so many priceless artifacts was a point beyond their understanding, as their wolf superior hadn't explained why in his notes, nor even hinted to what he could possibly be doing with them.

The detectives found themselves at the front doors of the recently reopened Natural History Museum. While it was a decently popular location for grade school field trips, on weekdays like today, it was rather lacking in visitors, making it rather easy for Nick and Judy to find the renowned doctor, after Judy insisted on asking an actual attendant.

"Well, if it isn't Zootopia's finest. Here to trespass through my museum again? If so, pleases, don't stop on my account." The curator said to the detectives, confusing Nick. It was always impossible for him to read the old zebra. He couldn't tell if the mammal was either trying to be familial or hostile, and he never cleared it up.

"Actually, Dr. Orshack, Agent Sif Pawtorias sent us. He wanted you to give us a run down of any new developments you might have had on the relics he's sent back." Judy spoke up. Being the more sincere and serious of the two, her keeping hold of the conversation was the safest bet.

"Really? Well, that certainly is a surprise, although I must say, he **never** sends someone else for this. He had an odd fascination with written correspondence. It boggles me that anyone in this day and age would bother writing letters, but I guess when you're as careful as that one, your step out of the norm…" Orshack responded, picking up some of the pieces of papers he was looking at and throwing them out. He started up again, motioning for them to follow him as he walked out of the office.

"Now, for the most part, the relics he's sent us back were pretty mundane. Small tablets with vague carvings of temples, inscriptions of tales well recorded, just in a long dead language; but some of it has been intriguing to say the least, and other pieces so captivating more than once I've refused to leave until I finished the day's work, often lasting for well over that day." He explained, the little details finding themselves onto Judy's notepad, while Nick simply seemed to remember it all. They walked to a service elevator, and after stepping in, Dr. Zander continued.

"As Pawtorias has made it quite clear that nothing to go on display without his expressed permission, I've had to keep everything hidden away in the basement. Although, that did give me a reason to go down there and deal with the growing spider population. Ghastly little buggers… made webs bigger than you, Miss Hopps. Took me days to clear them out." Dr. Orshack elaborated, supplementing the important information with small talk. Just as they stepped into the basement's main storage area, Nick visibly shivered, the cold surface fear of the web slinging arachnids running down his spine and through his tail, prompting a giggle from his partner.

"Hey, I'm just scared for you, Carrots. You better watch out fluff. I've seen spiders make meals out of mammals your size." He said, getting an eyeroll in response from the rabbit officer.

"Actually, some of the spiders down here were quite large, I really have no idea what they could've possibly been eating." Zander added, getting a bemused eyebrow raise from the bunny. But he ignored her and walked past several of the pieces waiting by the elevator door, hurrying to the back, where a work station had been set up.

"The runes on the tablets from his last recovery effort haven't been deciphered yet; the language is unlike anything we've seen. It's nowhere near as repetitive as common languages, and far more complex than other languages from the time. The linguists on the project requested access to the city central processor several times, to no avail. There's simply too much information to handle on our own, so after their last request, they started fundraising to get the local university a processor like that. I think they actually got final approval for the purchase yesterday. So with all likelihood they won't have results for a week." The information clicked with Nick and Judy, who immediately jotted down the fact. The resonance was missed on Orshack though, who simply continued talking.

"However, we have been able to make strides in other areas. It seems as though his last recovery site, as far as our analysts have been able to uncover, was some sort of training ground. The buildings date back a little over 3000 years ago. Most researchers in the field date the oldest civilizations to less than a third of that. The discovery made quite the rounds at the university." Orshack's nondescript explanation left them in the dark on the topic, but they hid their confusion. Before he could continue, the russet fox chimed in, trying to keep the zebra from going off on another tangent.

"Well doc, if that's what you've got news about, fill us in."

"Hmm… very well. Well, much like the previous two complexes Pawtorias opened to us, we believe that the building in its original glory was much larger than the remnants we find. However, while the other two seemed to have been destroyed in some sort of revolt or rebellion, the most recent find seems to have been abandoned in a more… controlled manner. According to my people on sight, it seems as though the building was purposefully sealed off to the public, in an attempt to bury something. We don't know what they hiding, as most of the chambers still lie underneath the excavated structure. However, despite that, they were able to piece together the different pieces of what was left of the building above ground. Most of it wasn't anything special, despite the importance of the find. One area though lead to the discovery of a large repository of tomes, scrolls, and pieces of art, all of it predating the antiquity site. A few of my personal favourites were sent back for further analysis." He explained, not really filling them in like Nick had requested, but still sharing some important information. The two didn't really see the importance though; Judy's eyes betrayed her boredom, and while Nick's were still filled with interest, he couldn't really see how all of this was connected to the investigation.

The zebra grabbed a box filled with glass display cases, each one containing a rather old, worn looking piece of paper. He set it on the desk, and pulled out a rather large one, and held it up to the two detectives. The painting depicted four mammals in a very fantasy-esque way; the artist had them on a black background , with much of the foreground covered in inky, purple shadows. The largest, a male buffalo, stood furthest to the back and to the left, resting a massive battle axe on his shoulder and a shield on his back, and he was heavily armoured. On the opposite side was a dark grey wolf wearing a brown cloak with the hood low over his face, obscuring most of it, and a bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. In between them and seemingly closer to the front sat the smallest two mammals; a red fox and a white rabbit. The fox's ease and cool guy pose spoke volumes, even through a painting; his paw was on the hilt of a black longsword, almost as if he was spinning it. Unlike the other three mammals, he had much more detail on him and his weapon, which bore two raw red gemstones; one in the crossguard and one in the pommel. He wore a black cloak with red trimmings and matching pants, and his eyes shone a brilliant blue. The bunny next to him sat far more conservatively, but still seemed more relaxed. Her simple black garbs contrasted her fair fur almost too well, and like the wolf's, her face was obscured, and unlike her companions, no weapon was shown on her.

"Well doc, this is one hell of a painting. Kind of unusual for the era, I'll admit, but what's so important about it?" Nick commented, slightly enthralled by the painting. Judy looked over it once, interested in the bunny and fox figure, but nowhere near as curious as Nick.

"Well, first thing first; do you know the Tale of the Old Knights?" He asked the two, getting lost looks. Chortling to himself, he continued.

"It's an old, _old_ children's tale that's been around since forever. I forget how it goes, but it's the basic heroic tale about the good honourable knights overcoming a great evil and saving the world. If I'm correct, this is the oldest depiction of the heroes of that tale." Dr. Orshack elaborated, still getting confused looks though.

"Hm. I guess that doesn't actually clear up anything. Let me explain. In most historical field, there's a thing the experts like to call the kernel. Basically nearly all stories and myths we have bouncing around society have a kernel of truth somewhere in them, whether it be the flood myths coming out of the ancient river valley civilizations, or the night spirits from the north and far south, or the tales of massive sea creatures from another world. Each of these have their origins in something real; the flood myths from the large, seasonal flooding the river valleys experienced, to the aurora borealis and aurora australis for the basis of the sky spirits and of course the findings of skeletal remains of bottom feeding fish for the basis of the sea monster tales. And it seems as though you're looking at the original figures for this one. I have come to the conclusion that Savage is looking for things to do with the ancient knights, and he must be getting close to them." The explanation answered the questions the two detectives had, but Judy quickly came up with more.

"So what's the tale? What do you know about it? Do you know how much is true? What it is that he might be going after?" She queried, her voice showing more intrigue on the last question than on the first three. His response disappointed her.

"Well, the tale starts in a kingdom of old…"

* * *

They sat there for over an hour, listening to the old curator go on and on about different versions of the story, citing accounts from across the world. The entire time Judy took notes, but her head was definitely not into it. She always did well in school, but literature and history were her weak points, and it became obvious to the other two adults why. Her look of boredom was enough to detail how she felt about the subject to anyone who so much as glanced at her, which Nick made a point to do so frequently, if just to make sure she was still awake. He, on the other hand, was having quite the time. He listened intently and asked questions, gave a few points of insight, and absorbed the information like a dry sponge given a cup of water. However, after recounting the various tales, most of Judy's original questions remained.

"So let me get this straight; all you know is that the lord they overthrew was a real person, they were real people, and he's looking for something connected to them? That's next to nothing to go on." The vulpine detective summarized the situation. His bunny partner was less than pleased.

"Next to? THAT IS LITERALLY NOTHING TO GO ON! We don't know what he's looking for, or why; we don't know where it might be, or even when it was put there. We have no leads; just a FREAKING GOOSE CHASE AFTER A CHILDREN'S BEDTIME STORY!" She shouted, her tance broken by Nick's last comment. Her explosive outburst caused both of the larger mammals to jump, not expecting something so loud so suddenly.

"Well, don't we have a temper. Not exactly, Carrots. Remember earlier?" his allusion got her to cock her head to the side, forgetting what he meant. "Doc, you said that some of the other professors were fundraising for one of the large processor units from Carkitty Enterprises, correct?" His question finally brought it back to the forefront of her mind.

"Ooooooh! But how does that help?" She interrupted. As she did she realized she was speaking out of turn, and clasped her paws over her mouth, allowing Zander to answer Nick's question.

"Why yes. In fact, they raised enough money to purchase two. They were just starting the process of ordering them from the company this week. Why?"

"A couple weeks ago anonymous buyers purchased 12 of those processor units. Detective Hopps and I have reason to believe that the mammals who made the purchase were working on Savages orders. Why do you need that sort of processing power?" Nick connected the two strings together seamlessly, with a grin and cocky stare coming on as he relished the cool formality of his last statement. This reaction cause Judy to roll her eyes playfully at the almost obnoxious sight.

"Well, the current computer systems have been going over all the data for weeks, and haven't gotten anywhere with it all. Agent Sif has made it clear that speed is the utmost importance, and with all of this history just waiting to be deciphered, we were more than willing to put in the extra hours for the equipment." He elucidated, confirming what they suspected.

"How long do you think it would take decode the language from the excavation sites?" The two asked simultaneously, comically shocking the middle aged PhD. He shook his head for a second, and then pondered the actual question. He eyes glazed over, and he stood there, unmoving, for several seconds, trying to come up with an answer to their a few seconds of introspection, he gave one.

"My best guess is that we could get all of it decoded and translated with those processors in at least 5 days. But depending on how long it takes to actually get them, we could be looking at a 2 week wait."

"Well, Judy and I can do something about that wait time. You just make sure everything is ready by the time we get them to you, okay?" Nick's take charge attitude sparked a level of curiosity in Judy, who had never seen him that enthusiastic before. He continued, his avidity for the case shining through his normally indecipherable facade.

"We'll get you in touch with one of the higher ups at Carkitty and they should be more than willing to extradite the process. We'll head over there now to get her ready. Thanks for the info Doc. Come on Carrots." He moved back to the elevator, his positive energy making his movements seem even more fluid and nonchalant than usual. Judy dashed over, making it to the elevator before it closed, and turned just in time to see Dr. Orshack wave to them. Or, well, shoo them, suddenly distracted by something.

* * *

Pawtorias sat in the back of a large military style truck, his face covered by a mask. The other mammals that sat with him were a combination of hardened criminals and skilled cooks, one of the oddest combinations he had ever had to deal with. The truck trudged through the mud and muck of the rain soaked forest, unable to pick up any sort of speed. But for the most part that was irrelevant, and from the scents in the air, he knew they were at their destination. The sudden jerk accompanied by the squeal of the vehicle's brakes signaled they arrived. Silently, everyone unloaded from the car, each mammal with their own job and responsibilities; socializing was nowhere on the list. When the wolf hopped down from the truck bed, he saw the camp for what it was; a bunkhouse, a com tower, and a helipad. He walked down to the base of the com tower, trying to look busy. Truthfully, he had nothing to do until the helicopter got there to lift the new chefs and labour back to the city, but one thing he knew from experience was that criminals like these didn't like to see idle paws, and he wasn't about to draw attention to himself. As he crossed the courtyard, he looked around and counted the people, and noticed the weapons they were packing.

 _Judy, Nick, I hope you're ready, because there's a storm coming your way…_ the thought found itself in good company, as a thunder and lightning flash from looming rainclouds added a beautiful irony to the situation. Not missing the humour in what had just happened, he let out a bellowing laugh, only half exaggerated. _This is going to be an interesting couple of days._

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry for the long walk for such a short drink of water, but here's the next chapter. I've been having... personal issues, and recently have been having trouble finding any motivation to write. Which to me seems dumb, because writing has always helped my mood...**

 **Anywho, big thanks to** **Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps and Libious for reading my story. The advice was well taken. Soon I'll be reuploading some of my previous chapters with the spelling and grammar mistakes fixed,, and a little change to the intro. If you haven't checked out their stories, you definitely need to read One Hundred Kisses by the former and Wilde Heart by the latter. Amazing stories.**

 **Like always, please post a review and if anyone cares to know, those allusion challenges are still up for grabs.**


	10. Chapter 9

Judy sat in Nick's kitchen, her eyes staring at a blueprint for the _Lady and Tramp_ resort building. While Honeylemon had specifically told them to not do anything that had the possibility of giving a tip to the Vartini head, Judy simply couldn't resist doing a little of her own detective work. So immediately after meeting with Ms. Dew again (much to Judy's chagrin), she drove them back to city hall to find the archived floor maps and technical layouts for the six star resort. Despite the building's reputation, Judy was surprised to find it was actually quite small, being only three stories tall. The restaurant, kitchen, laundry, storage, and staff lounge made up most of the entire first floor, with the luxurious suites being located on the top two stories. The most interesting detail was the helipad on the roof, which was large enough to accommodate two or three of the vehicles if need be.

"According to the city contract, in catastrophe situations his resort is to give access as an emergency regroup point. Helicopters can land their for evacuation of important personnel and civilians, or ZSIS troops or SWAT can use it as an LZ for that part of Savannah Central. It was one of the reasons he was allowed to build his resort there." Nick answered her unasked (yet floating) question, pulling her out of her own head.

"Well that explains the helipad, doesn't it?" She remarked under her breath as Nick continued looking through piles of legal documents. But the fact that he was intrigued her, more than enough to get her to put down the large blue paper and turn her attention to the fox on the other side of the table.

"Nick, just wondering…" she started. Her tone was less than casual; taking on a slight intimate tone to more effectively get his attention, and the little tactic worked perfectly, as the sound perked up his ears and took his eyes off his own paper, obviously hearing her. Unfortunately, she had nothing less than innocent to ask.

"How do you understand all of that legal lingo? More than half the time it sounds like complete pompous gibberish to me." The bunny's voice turned sharply, losing the riske undertone. At that Nick just laughed and shook his head, muttering something about a 'sly bunny'.

"Oh Carrots, there's a lot you don't know about me, and I can't wait to record your reactions when I get around to telling you about all the little things." He smirked at her scowl. _How much could he possibly still be hiding from me? God, I wish I had better night vision…_ Judy's frustration coloured her face, getting a small chuckle from the vulpine. She killed the last thought though, determined to not be tempted to break his trust, even in her own head.

They spent the next few hours in silence, rummaging through old documents, various newspapers clippings, and even picking up some of Sif's notes, connecting a minor dots for him. It was pretty easy, but the simplicity of the work only seemed to tire them out even more than if it had been something they could pour themselves into. It was getting close to midnight, when Nick finally called a quits.

"OKAY. That's enough of that, because I swear, if I read another paper trying to change the definition of a ' _readily available public transport line_ ' I'll go crazy. I'm going out for Italian. Would you like anything? I'll bring it back." His outburst was a welcomed break from the deathly dull droll of paperwork they had been going through. When he mentioned Italian, images of pasta with thick white cheese sauces and other calorie dense foods flooded her mind. Before she could say anything, she stomach growled, loudly, responding for her.

"Okay, so that will be a large helping of angel hair pasta with a thick alfredo sauce. I'll be right back with your order." He smiled at her blush, enjoying her embarrassment. The fox grabbed a nice black coat and headed out, leaving Judy alone with her obnoxiously loud stomach and her own thoughts. She didn't move until she heard the car start and the door open, and then shut again. When it did, she yawned and got out of the kitchen, looking to occupy herself.

Exploring the building wouldn't be much fun, as the one room that might hold something interesting was Nick's room, and to avoid doing something irresponsible she decided to ignore it completely. As she paced around the catwalks in between rooms, she looked down at the empty store house, and decided to go for a run before taking a shower. Tossing off her button shirt, she hurried down stairs and started running, the action reawakening her. It was only after the third lap did she realize that there was something in the back corner of the warehouse, covered by a large beige tarp. When she finally saw it, she gawked, surprised that she had never noticed it before. Instead of turning to continue her laps, Judy ran right up to it. It was barely taller than her, with a wide flat top, almost like a table. However, the shape outlined by the covering was too odd to be a normal table, making the rabbit even more curious. Throwing caution to the wind, she grabbed a corner and tugged, pulling the tarp down. Underneath lay a dusty, fox-sized grand piano, with the cover to the keys down and the folded piece of paper sticking out from underneath it. The black lacquered wood was flaking, obviously either old or cheap. Interested in why Nick owned a piano, she pulled out the bench, and hopped up, and lifted the lid. The white and black keys were also coated with dust, but several much less so than the rest. After a brief inspection of the instrument, Judy picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it. The piece of sheet music was handwritten, and hastily at that, almost as if from the distraught memories someone was trying to forget. The bunny officer had never taken piano courses, nor had she any real talent or love of playing music, so she wasn't able to really do anything with what she had in her hands. Then she heard it.

The crunch of the car tires on the driveway hit her ears quite suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts. _How could he be back already?_ The question would go unanswered as the big door opened, and she was caught by his headlights. He pulled in, silhouetted so perfectly that his expression was completely hidden from her. As he turned off and got out of the car, she braced herself for a very loud and angry fox.

"Well, took you long enough to notice it. I'm surprised you hadn't asked me about it sooner fluff." His sarcastic remark caught her off guard.

"So what do you think of it, Carrots? One of my few personal belongings, and a nice one I might add. Much better than the drug money in the attic or the skunk rugs in the basement." He added with a smirk as he pulled out their food. She forgot what her response the moment the smell hit her nose.

"I… I, um... " Judy stammered, looking for a way to string her thoughts into a coherent sentence. However, her brain failed her, and Nick chortled at her attempts.

"Well, _Sports_ , how about you go shower and change and I'll set out the food, mm'kay?" The fox's nickname for her got a quizzical look, as she wasn't quite sure of the reference he was making. Then he looked her up and down, prompting herself to do the same. When she did, she realized what he meant. She had forgotten that all she had on was a sports bra and shorts, leaving her quite exposed. She yelped as he let out a laugh, and sprinted to one of his makeshift lifts, covering herself with her arms. As it lifted her away from the ground floor, she curled up in a corner, hoping to hide from the strangely quiet fox down stairs. _Well, good job Judy. That wasn't completely embarrassing._

* * *

She took a decently long shower, hoping to kill enough time that the whole half-naked rabbit thing would no longer be lingering over dinner. She got dressed in a loose, flowy light blue t-shirt and similar black pants, ready to head off to the couch she was calling a bed for the time being. When she finally got out of the shower though, she heard something she had not expected.

A beautiful melody filled the air, the careful and talented strokes of a piano's keys ringing through the air. She felt captivated by it, wholeheartedly swallowed by the music. She made her way back down stairs, towards the fox and his ballade. When she got him insight, it really struck her, and she gasped. She couldn't imagine exactly what, but something about him looking down at the keys like that, his paws dancing across the black and ivory notes, melding the delectable sounds so effortlessly, spoke volumes about the his hidden character. His eyes were shut, closed in concentration, and his ears were flat against his head, a sign of emotional distress. Judy, however, didn't make note of it in time, and when she got to his side, his ears perked back up and all signs of his feelings left. When Judy saw the empty pizza box, she realized how long she had been in the shower, and wordlessly took her bowl of pasta and silently ate, while Nick continued to play...

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry for the long walk for a short drink of water. Between midterms, research projects, essays, work, and supporting a friend through her school play, I've been kind of really busy. I finished up my edits for the first chapter, so those will be or are already up (I don't yet know...).**

 **Massive thanks to Cimar of Turalis WhildeHopps, who read and commented on the new intro chapter and cut chapter 1. If you haven't read his story yet, shame on you, go read One Hundred Kisses. NAO.**

 **The next chapter will be much longer, out much quicker, and far more juicy. I just thought that if things weren't obvious enough, I might as well hit you over the head with it.**

 **If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, or comments, please do review (PS, thank you to** **Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps and ultamantman for reviewing on previous chapters). The reviews really do help keep me going.**


	11. Chapter 10

Nick lay curled up in his bed, the long emotional night keeping him well asleep. Unlike most nights, he was quite still, peaceful and content.

The music from the night before hung over the building, almost as if the ghost of the notes still danced off the walls and through the rooms. The enchanted feeling coloured the day already, painting how it would go. Had it not been for a subtle change in the setting, Nick probably would've stay sound asleep for several more hours. However, a certain bunny wasn't intent on letting him…

 _ **SLAM**_

Judy kicked the door in, shaking the entire room. Had it been a normal morning, the fox would've jumped out of bed, terrified beyond belief. Today, however, was far from normal, and he barely even noticed.

"C'mon Nick! It's almost 9! Get up! She shouted, already ready for the day. She didn't remember much from last night. She wasn't exactly sure how she got on the couch upstairs, or even how the night ended. Her rainy, comfy dreams though had energized her despite the grand total of 5 hours of sleep. When she noticed that her gracious host was still asleep, she knew she had to correct that error the most Judy-way possible, and when her loud interruption was met with silence, she knew she would be going to Plan B.

"Well, I guess you don't mind me checking out this little chest then?" She sauntered over to the large chest at the back of the room. The comment had the intended effect, as Nick sprung to life, checking himself and his bed for the key. When he found the tarnished silver skeleton key in the folds of his bedding, his sigh of relief was met with a laugh from his guest.

"Well, aren't you a sly bunny…" He smirked at her, slightly proud in her little ruse.

"And aren't you just a dumb fox? Or, in this case, a sleepy fox? C'mon, we have stuff to do. Get ready, I'll make breakfast." Judy replied as she skipped out of the room, feeling quite pleased with herself. As she did, said sleepy fox looked back down at his bedding, running his hands over the salty water stains from last night's internal turmoil. He felt a change coming, but couldn't exactly put his finger on how it would hit him. _It's never simple, isn't it?_

* * *

Judy had failed to ever mention how good of a cook she was, leaving the fox happily surprised at the blueberry pancakes and well roasted crickets he had for breakfast, and somewhat still hungry for her serving of pancakes. When he got around to asking her where she had learned how to cook crickets, her response had him curious.

"Well, when I was leaving middle school I got into a really nice boarding school for high school. It was set up more like a university than a high school. Between living on campus and avoiding the very idea of socializing, I threw myself into classes. I took pretty much everything I could, and freshmen year one of those courses was a culinary class." She explained to Nick, thinking about how different she was back then.

"Really? Doesn't really sound like the Carrots I know." His comment got her to giggle, knowing full well she was a much different rabbit now than she was then.

"Haha, well, you see, back in Bunny Burrows I was always the outcast ya know? So I didn't really try to fit in with the other kits. Besides, I'm pretty sure if I had, my eighth grade year would've ended much differently than it did, and I don't think for the better." She said as she cleared her place, hopping towards the sink with her dishes. Nick followed her, his swaggering gait filled with an unusual spring in his step, especially for the preceding night's events.

"Oh really? And why is that?" Judy glanced up at him, making sure he was being sincere. The honest innocence in his eyes clarified it to her, and she responded with a an honest answer.

"Well, most bunnies don't go into high school because their self control is shorter than their noses." The little comment was all that it took for understanding to dawn on the fox. His look of curiosity though voiced more questions, and Judy knew she was about to blush at them.

"So, while all the other bunnies were getting frisky, how did you deal with the the little happy season?" He accompanied the sly tone with an eyebrow wiggle, getting both a blush and an elbow to the ribs. She sheepishly and stubbornly tried to hid the grin forming on her face, and her indignant response was filled with similar emotions.

"Hmmph. If you really want to know, I was far too deep into my books to fall victim to Bunny Burrow's less than appropriate Spring seasons. I hardly even noticed it." She said, trying to hold her head up high. That wouldn't exactly work for her though.

"Wow Officer Hopps. I think you should lay down. That looks really painful." His response prompted her to scowl at him, yet Nick's sincere face of worry made her think for a second. Suspicious, she glanced sideways at him before continuing to do the dishes and giving into curiosity.

"What looks painful?" She braced herself for the response, and her likely use of another elbow to his gut.

"That lie looks like it really hurt coming ou-OOF!" The already primed elbow made its mark easily, catching him mid sentence.

* * *

The pack of wolves moved through the back alleys towards their target. It was unusual for that specific group of wolves to be anywhere near such a high end place of business, and they never had a job to do if they were. However, this time the hit carried a massive price, one that the alpha of the group had every intention of collecting. The 7 canines were more than confident in their abilities to take out two little foxes, and the price on their heads was too good to pass up. The white wolves came up to the back door to the famous and lavish hotel, stun guns, net throwers, and knives at the ready. Of course, they couldn't go barging in, and before they got any inkling of an idea what to do, it flung open, revealing a large black fox. He wore nice black slacks, a white button down shirt, a black vest, and a black shark skin leather trench coat. Surprised at their target's sudden appearance, but overall pleased, they didn't even bother registering the look of indifference and death that hid behind his royal blue eyes.

"Well, looky here boys. And you thought it would be hard gettin' to them. They're practically coming to us." The leader said, a heavy down under accent on his voice. The fox kept up his facade. He was neither intimidated nor did he really care about the group in front of him. He was almost their size, and just from looking them up and down he knew he would have no trouble in killing them off.

"Although, you are a big one of your kind. I wasn't expecting that. Still, shouldn't be too much of a problem for us." His cocky attitude was also apparent, and his comment got a scoff from the midnight black fox. The leader of the wolf pack scowled in response, and flicked his wrist, sending two other canines up to the fox, knives and fox tasers in paw. When he did nothing but laugh at them as well, their caution turned to arrogance and irritation, and they lunged for him. As they did, his composure came back, and he lunged at them in turn, blades in his own paws. The move startled his opponents, showing them their mistake. Their second mistake came quickly. In the face of the charging assassin in front of them, they tried to back up and gain some distance. However, the increased distance gave him enough space to maneuver. The fox twiste his ankle, allowing him to spin around. The whiplash from arm propelled him forward, and sent his knife right across the neck of the closer wolf. Before the wolf could even fall over, the fox sent his other blade straight into the side of the now terrified surviving adversary's head, killing him instantly. As the two wolves collapsed, the vulpine straightened up, now doused in their blood, the splatter pattern decorating his coat. His eyes seemed to glow with a serious and deadly thirst for more violence, his stance just dripping with the intent to kill again.

Faced with such a horror, the group backed up, unsure of what to do. Their leader though refused to back down.

"Charlie, take him down." He barked the order to one of his lessers. The group was had moved back a good 15 feet, keeping some space between themselves and their target. One of the smaller wolves walked to the front, and pulled out a rather advanced looking net gun. The pack laughed, thinking it was all over for the fox. He, however, simply sighed in boredom, not showing a hint of fear, even as the wolf pulled the trigger.

The bang was soft, followed by a mysterious swishing. The second sound, though, was not made by the net. In mid air the net was sliced to pieces, the tearing sounds of it being chopped up reverberated down the shaded alleyway.

"What the-!" The white wolves gasped, and looked around, trying to figure out what just happened. Blades buried into the ground and walls were several knives and even what looked like a short sword, black and silver respectively, with shredded bits of cording falling around them. The smaller wolf, Charlie, was the only one sensible enough to try to follow their trajectory, and found the thrower. Standing on a balcony slightly behind them stood an arctic fox; the vixen was dressed in a flowy, layered white dress, coloured with subtle tinges of faded arctic blue towards the bottom of each layer. The wolf's jaw dropped, both in amazement and abject fear. _If she was as deadly as she's beautiful, then we're screwed._

"Eleazar, please be quick. Vartini wanted to talk to us, and I doubt he's as comfortable with you being covered in that gook as you are." She called down, before catching Charlie's eye. "And Eleazar? When you bring in my stuff, make sure to bring that one with you. Alive, preferably." She pointed down at the now mostly unarmed lupine lackey, who gulped at the inclinations. Eleazar sighed again, shook his head, and responded, completely unenthusiastic.

"Very well, but if he gets in my way I'm breaking his arm." His response were the only words he was able to get out before the leader of the gang started shouting, utterly confused.

"Who the hell are you people? How the hell do you think you'll be able to deal with us all by yourself? And There's no way you're taking one of my members-UG!" His shouting was cut off as the midnight black vulpine closed the distance between the two of them unnaturally quickly, the short sword he picked up cutting through his neck like a hot knife through butter. Charlie ducked and rolled out of the way, jumping out of the fray. The bloodbath that followed was nowhere near an even fight. The lone surviving wolf simply kept his head down, and tried to ignore the wails and screams of his former pack members as he scurried around, picking up the four knives that the vixen had thrown and waiting by the door that led back into the resort.

When Eleazar was done, he didn't even bother surveying the area. He knew they were dead, and so turned to leave.

"Hmmph. Good, you didn't run. You're definitely nowhere as stupid as the rest of them." He said as he walked up behind the wolf. He heard him gulp, obviously so much as looking at him, Charlie handed the fox the knives, not wanting to be armed at the moment, every thought being on survival. With that, they entered the building, letting one of Vartini's clean up crews deal with the corpses.

* * *

Nick and Judy felt wasted. The contacts on Pawtorias's list were utterly useless, and Honeylemon had asked the two to stay away from Precinct 3 while she was planning the raid on Vartini's HQ. This meant that they had nearly nothing to do, especially since Bogo had taken away all of their other assignments. And despite the part of her that liked the down time, Judy was beginning to feel restless.

"THAT'S IT! I'm going for a walk!" She shouted, bored with all of the paperwork and filings she and Nick had been going through. Her outburst startled him, causing him to jump and drop the letters he had been reading.

"Sweet cheese and crackers as you would say. A little warning next time would be greatly appreciated. And just make sure no one sees you come or go, okay? Oh, and if you want to avoid trouble, stay on this side of Earwings Lane, got it? The locals get… touchy whenever outsiders go too far down the street." He cautioned, rubbing his ears with one hand as he used the other to pick up the letters that had fallen on the floor.

"Why is that? And don't mock my expletives. I'm happy that I don't curse." She replied, both curious and playfully pouty.

"Haha. I'll keep that in mind the next time someone at the Precinct takes your serving of home cookies." He joked back, remembering the outrageous outburst the bunny had exploded into when she found out that Clawhauser had taken the few cookies her mother had sent her to last her the month. Her language had made nearly everyone blush that day.

"That's different. Now answer the question." She pestered, interested in what could possibly be so sensitive for the community of foxes. Nick looked at her, his face lacking any grin and his eyes lacking their usual half-lidded stare. The look hit her full force, and the realization came over her. Earwings Lane was the largest street in Vixshire, and led directly to Noble Knight Plaza, the courtyard to Fauxfang manor. The thought dropped her mood a notch, and she internally chastised herself for forgetting.

"Oh, I forgot. I'm sorry. I'll just head to the market place. There were some interesting things there that I wanted to check out anyway." She steered away from the subject and hopped down from her seat, intent on getting some fresh air.

"Well if you get the chance, stop by the Vixshire Community college library will ya? The head librarian has something for me. Just tell him Nikky Wilde ask you to stop by." He said, looking down at the letters again, trying to take on a more professional facade. Realizing it wasn't really an optional request, Judy simply said okay and left, curious as to why he knew the head librarian at the community college.

* * *

Judy had been gone for a 20 minutes, so Nick knew she was well out and into town. Sighing, he put the paper down and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't done this much reading in a very long time, and he wasn't sure he could keep going at the current rate. Leaning back, he closed his eyes for a minute, trying to rest them. He wasn't sure how he was able to keep up the facade so well, especially with his nights being so particularly bad. And the worst part was that he didn't even know why. The memories had long suppressed resurfaced so quickly, and he was partially blaming Pawtorias for it. Getting up from his chair, he let the yawn over take him, and stretched to let the feeling spread out to his stiff muscles. He was feeling a tinge of sentimentality, and against his better judgement, went back to his room. The room had a warm dim light, as the rays from outside had only a tiny window to squeeze through to brighten up the room. He wasn't too sure why he had chosen this room, especially since it had been a nightmare getting the furnishings in, but he had gotten everything in.

His eyes landed on the chest, something he hadn't let himself look at in years. The contents were his few belongings from his childhood, or things he didn't really want people knowing about. Valuables, trinkets, keepsakes, an unfinished gift, and what one had called his trophy of hard work.

"You're not really going in there, are you?" Nick's voice was hollow, as if he was trying to to distinguish between one set of thoughts and his own ideas.

"Of course I am. I had to at some point. And now Carrots is here. She deserves to know the truth, especially when we get together." He responded to himself, his voice holding a respectability and confidence it normally lacked. _I wonder how she'll react though? Will it be surprise, or confusion? And how will I even bring it up?_ The question hit him like an avalanche, and suddenly he realized he wasn't ready yet. Relieved, he walked out of his room, intent on having Judy's left over pasta.

* * *

The little bunny was all alone in one of the largest communities of foxes in the city. Had the situation occurred thousands or even hundreds of years earlier, she would've been deathly terrified. But right now, she simply enjoyed the sights of the antique shops and the different craftsmen and artisans of the market, each selling beautiful pieces of one type of art or another.

She had brought her wallet, which, in hindsight, was probably a bad idea for her savings account. With so many pretty things she was without a doubt going to be buying something, and that something was most likely going to be expensive. As she bounced around from shop to shop though, she didn't find anything that really begged her to buy it. Not the homemade silk scarves, not the hand carved wooden figurines, not even the fresh carrot cake really enticed her enough to break out her wallet. And just as she was about to give up hope, she found stumbled upon a little jewelry store. She had seen quite a few of them, ranging from traditional looking beaded jewelry to more exotic pieces and even to contemporary silver and gold jewelry shops. This one seemed like a combination of the three, with antique pieces of silver, gold, and copper lining the shelves and in the windows. Curious, she entered the tiny little shop, wondering what could be inside.

As she opened the door, it rang a bell, and she heard a crash coming from the back room. Out of it walked out a dusty looking grey fox. He had a sweater vest and khaki pants on, and his face hosted a pair of large glasses. He looked ancient, with his fur faded and his eyes wide. Had Judy not been surprised by the commotion, she would've giggled and introduced herself, but at the moment she kept silent, waiting until he was ready.

"Damn thing… can't it stay up for just a second… oh well-OH, looky here, a customer. Well how do ya do?" His friendly voice got a smile from the rabbit, feeling more comfortable with his cheery disposition.

"Hello. I was just looking around and saw your shop. You have a lot of interesting pieces." She replied, matching his light hearted attitude.

"Why thank you. I've owned this shop for over 40 years, and I've collected a thing or two that might be as pretty as yourself." His little compliment and witty wink got a hearty laugh from her. He was charming, that much was sure. As she looked around, she felt his eyes on her, watching her. When a minute passed, he shuffled over to her, obviously intent on something.

"I'm sorry, but you're looking in all the wrong places. To be sure, these pieces are pretty, but plain old silver will never do for a pretty gem like you. Come look over here. You might be much more interested in these." He turned her towards the display cases in the back. Tourmalines of hundreds of colours set in sculpted gold, formally cut topazes in antique silver, and even a variety of precious stones, including several beautiful diamond earrings. As she looked over the assortment of pieces, one in particular caught her eye.

"Can I see that one?" She pointed at it. As she did the older fox smiled, and opened the case. The medallion had sat behind one of the more contemporary pieces, and its chain lay hidden in the cloth bedding of the display. When he handed it to her, she got a much better view. The piece was simple, but nonetheless captivating. The piece consisted of a little circular piece of imperial jade, no bigger than a dime, set into an incredibly well polished white metal. The jade coin was also etched with the image of a fox, with a powder coating of the metal brushed into the engraving. On the back the artist had also etched the word _My_ and enameled it black. The snake chain was similarly polished, and ended in an old fashioned hoop and rod.

"Wow, this is…" she couldn't find the right words though.

"I'm glad you like it. That piece has been sitting there for decades, just waiting for someone to notice it."

"What's the metal? It doesn't feel like silver. It's much too heavy for it." She noticed, the weight giving the whole piece even more allure.

"Ahh, I'm glad you noticed. It's platinum. The artist that made it adored the metal." The revelation hit her like a brick, as she realized the whole thing was probably worth more than Nick's 'house'.

"Oh, I can't afford this." She said in dismay. But the cackle that met her concern shocked her. The fox didn't look at her as he stifled his laughs, and walked to the back room again. Confused, Judy just stood there, waiting. He came back with two long, silk boxes, one green and one purple. He opened the green one, took the pendant from her and set it in the cushioned interior.

"After the craftsmen died, I vowed to not sell these pieces. I knew that one day someone would come for them, someone who was meant to have them." He said as he wrapped the box and handed it to her.

"What? This piece must have cost a fortune! I can't accept this. And there's no way I can afford to pay you for it." She tried to protest, but he just smiled.

"And I know you're the one that's meant to have them because it's companion piece, it's sister, looks like this…" he said as he lifted the cover to the other container. Laying inside was a twin necklace to the one she had just been holding. However, it was gold, and the gem coin in laid was an amethyst. The form engraved in it was also a different one. The powder gold bunny made her heart stop. She knew the same _My_ was on the other side. And without another word the old fox wrapped up the second box and saw her on her way.

* * *

Judy wandered her way to the college, her mind on the valuables she had in her paws. She walked into the library, a building that surprisingly mixed the traditional decor of the area with the modern feel of the rest of Zootopia quite well. The moment she walked in, a library aide, a young looking fennec fox, walked up to her, a jaunty spring in his step.

"'Ello there. Anything I can help you with?" He asked, a heavy accent apparent.

"Yes, hello, I'm looking for the head librarian? A friend asked me to pick something up from him." She answered, hoping to get out quickly and pick up some food on her way back to Nick's place.

"Ahh, he's been waiting for someone to clear his desk. You're a friend of Nick's? How is he?" The tiny fox lead her deeper into the library.

"Yeah, he's doing well. Um, how did you know I was a friend of Nick's?" She asked, kind of curious as to her host's ties to the school.

"Well, Nick is the only guy that actually uses Professor Kyubi's requisition services. And recently he's been asking for quite a bit." The fennec's answer just lead to more questions.

"Requisition services? What does that mean?"

"Well, the students here generally aren't here for degrees, more for basic knowledge and looking for the big passion. To better help them with that, Professor Kyubi would compile new research on different subjects and write reports on it in more generalized terms, like an in depth summary of it all. Then he gives that to the student, or really, anyone who asked at this point, to better help people break into a topic or better understand the basics of a subject. New students used to rely on them, but since the internet mammals haven't utilized his service as much." The fennec was much more sophisticated than the last one she met. When they got to the office, they were met with the sight of an aged red fox asleep on his desk, his three piece suit slightly wrinkled, and his red fur greying.

"Professor, YO! Wake up Dr. Kyubi. A friend of Nick is here to see you." The fennec shouted, and laughed as the old mammal's head shot up.

"Goddamnit Mr. Harters, don't wake an old mammal like that." He said as he put his glasses back on. With that the fennec left, and the old fox turned to Judy.

"Now, what can I help you with?"

* * *

 **Hey guys. My life has gone to shit and I'm always tired, but the moment I got into this chapter I just could stop. I hope you guys like it. Two more and then big revelations come around. Thank you Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps for reviewing the last one. I don't know how fast I'll get the next one out. If you want it out faster, please review. Let me know how you feel and if you like where the story is heading or if you would like to see something. Knowing I'm not just shouting this story into the void would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.**


	12. Chapter 11

"I'm slightly surprised. Nicolas has always seemingly looked forward to his visits. Could he not come for any particular reason?" Dr. Kyubi asked, the grey fox not bothering to glance at the bunny following him. Judy couldn't help but feel a tad bit overwhelmed. She didn't know that Vixshire had its own college until a few months prior, and never realized just how large it was. The library alone consisted of several connected buildings and an underground 'vault' as Kyubi had described it. It took her almost a full second to realize he had, in fact, asked her a question.

"Oh! Um, yeah, he's actually reading up on a big case right now. Lots of legal mumbo-jumbo. Boring stuff that's all to willing to read. I don't know why." Her answer came out as a string of thoughts she had in the back of her mind, a slight slur to her words.

"Ahh. Putting his education to work I see. I was hoping he would eventually." The elderly fox sounded pleased at that, but his comment caught Judy's attention.

"Wait, what? What do you mean by his education?" She asked him, walking up next to him to try to make eye contact. However her question received only a curious sideways glance from the middle aged fox. She could tell he was mulling the question over, as he obviously held the answer, but was just trying to decide whether or not to give it to her.

"I'm sure you know the stereotypes around foxes. Mischievous, sly, cunning, and secretive. I've worked a long time fighting those very preconceived notions, and while I had hoped that now he would be doing the same as a police officer, it seems that he still has some fox-qualities in him. If there are things he wants not known, I won't be the one to let the cats out of the bag." He said, his eloquent little speech disappointing her.

"Damn… he's just so secretive." She dismayed, thinking about how little she truly knew about him. However, the librarian wasn't about to let the subject end on such a downward spin.

"I used to teach a class we used to have here at the college. It was called 'Universal Psychological Phenomena of Mammalian Species'. Long, confusing title, I'm aware. The course was mainly for Psychology students looking to go on to ZU, however, many a conmammal has taken it as well. The course material was on the ubiquitous actions and traits all mammals do or say or show under certain circumstances. For instance, the most common is when we're happy, we will smile. Even blind mammals will." Judy looked at him, bewildered with the line of dialogue. He continued, hoping his next would clear things up for her.

"Another one, albeit much deeper, is the tendency to take on more traditional qualities when seriously emotionally injured. Bunnies, for example, become more frisky, and for more easily terrified, while lions are more susceptible to aggression and territorial behaviour. Not only that, as I was always careful to mention, the more intelligent a mammal is, the more likely they are to feel deep emotional stress. Our dear Nicolas is the perfect example of this." The fox smiled as understanding dawned on Judy's face, and she mouthed the 'oh' of the realization, the memory of their conversation on the aerial tram over the Rainforest District forefront in her mind. Pleased with her reaction, he pulled a thick manila envelope from a shelf and handed it to her.

"Our mutual friend has more than a few secrets from the both of us. However, if the topic I read over to compile this report is any hint, I do believe that those wounds are coming to a strong heal. Please, give Nikky my regards, and if you ever wish to chat, my doors are always open to any friend of Mr. Wilde's. Now, I must finish another paper, and I think I hear some less than appropriate behaviour coming from the second floor. Farewell." He said with a smirk before turning and walking off, leaving the rabbit alone to deal with the new insight. However, she didn't have that much time to go over it, as her phone began to ring just a minute later. She moved her items over to one arm and pulled her cellphone out, noticing the goofy selfie Nick and she had taken a while back with a smile.

"Hey Nick. I'm at the college. What's up?" She whispered as she headed towards the exit, still conscious of the many now irritated foxes.

" _Oh good. You got the package? Thanks. Wait there, I'll pick you up. Bogo called us in. They found something he wants us to take a look at in the Canal District. Something he thinks is connected to our case."_ Nick explained over the phone, the pur of Pawtorias's car in the background.

"Won't I need my stuff? And I might want to change real quick at least." Judy pondered, knowing it wasn't really an option but hoping nonetheless.

" _Haha. Don't worry Carrots, I got you. I'm bringing your gear and a more appropriate set of clothes. You can change in the back."_ He laughed a bit at the self conscious bunny. The thought of changing in the back of the car rattled the bunny, and for some reason she felt a bit off by it. Doing what he does best, Nick read her mind.

" _Hey, I promise I won't peek. And the windows are tinted, so you should be fine."_

"Okay, you're going to have to tell me how you do that at some point. It's driving me crazy." Judy playfully snapped at him, happy that he knew how to calm her down. At that, she saw him pull up to the main building, and ran to get in the car.

"So, you ever gonna tell me what's in it?" She queried, hoping to get him to open up. He refused though, keeping her in the dark.

"Not so fast. That's for me to know and for you to find out later." He replied, a smirk on his lips forming at her subtle pout. He continued, shifting the subject.

"So, you found something you liked? I hope you didn't get swindled. Some of those merchants are good at peddling fakes." He warned, taking an interest in the other two boxes she had. She looked down at them as well, thinking about their contents.

"Well, the fox gave them to me without having me pay, so even if they're worthless I didn't lose anything. But something tells me they definitely aren't." Her response intrigued the fox even more, but he didn't push it. Something told him he would find out what they were in due time.

After that, the drive was silent. The 20 minute transit time was just enough for Judy to get to the back, find a suitable hiding spot, change, and throw her casual clothes in the duffel bag Nick had brought her clean clothes in. When they pulled up, they realized it was something big. There were cops and reporters swarming over the place. Several buildings were lined up on the shore, a small dock and pier lay right between a bed and breakfast and a small apartment building. While a large portion of police officers were there to investigate the crime scene, it seems just as many were on press duty, trying to keep civilians and reporters well enough away. Before they got out of the car, Bogo appeared next to it, slamming Nick's door shut again.

"Just sit tight you two. I want those reporters gone before you get out there. If you get too much media attention, then Sergeant Honeylemon's sting operation could be put in jeopardy." He spoke to them, his eyes never leaving the crowd of news reporters. Nick and Judy both perked up at the mention, and looked at him sideways, wondering who told the buffalo. As if he could feel their stares, he answered the question floating around, not liking their attention.

"I was originally part of that plan. But when Miss Weaslet backed out, I had thought the plan was scrapped. She filled me in on the new details two days ago." Bogo said, hoping they would take their expectant gazes off of him. Luckily they did, letting him leave to clear out the pestering media.

* * *

It took the police a good half hour to get the reporters to leave, and when they were finally gone, Nick and Judy had a chance to check out the find. They had no idea what to expect, but they definitely weren't surprised in the least by what they were shown. The pack of wolves were sliced up mercilessly, many of them still with the contortion of pain and fear on their faces. It took Judy everything she had to not barf at the sight, but the feeling remained; the nausea threatening her at the beginning of every sentence. Nick, who had grown up on the streets and often with murderous criminals wasn't as affected, but still refused long looks at the corpses.

"They were a group of hitmen out of Tundratown. From what we can tell, they were killed by our suspects. Where though, we have no idea." Bogo filled them in on the few details they couldn't pick up on on their own. However, in the brief glances they gave the corpses they both realized something, something that Nick was willing to bring up.

"Not suspects. _Suspect_. These guys were taken down by one of the mammals we're after."

"How do you know that Wilde?" Bogo questioned, not trusting the fox's statement. It was Judy who answered though, happy to back up her partner.

"While both are violent, our perps have two very different styles. One of them, this guy, is brutal, almost as if the statement "overkill" doesn't mean anything. He's dirty, sadistic, and prefers to leave his victims mutilated like this. But the other one is far more surgical. Clean. One kill strike and you're dead, move on to the next guy. As clean as possible." She explained. Looking skeptical, Bogo pointed out one of the canines, the only noticeable wound being a slit throat.

"What about him? Wouldn't he fit the profile?"

"Yeah, if there were less victims. If these guys were all in a group, then you would expect more to be killed like that. My guess is our brutal psycho was simply just a little pressed for time and had to deal with him slightly quicker. Besides, if she prefers precise, clean kills then that slit throat is way too sloppy for them. No, this lot was definitely from psycho number 1." Nick said, chewing on a pawpsicle as he explained it.

"Nick, where did you get that?" Judy looked up at him, her eyes questioning the very existence of the sweet treat. Bogo couldn't care less though, more thinking about the new insight.

"Well, if we can then we should try to distinguish the two and their respective kills. That might help in tracking them down again if we have to. They'll need their own code names, and while Jane and John Doe are usual picks, I think they're a bit tame for them. I'll leave that up to you two as you pass the details over to Honeylemon. This is getting out of hand. I want progress by the end of the week. One more mass killing like this and the city will be in a worse state than during the Night Howler case, got it?" His voice was hushed, and despite the very angry threatening tone, the unmistakeable sound of fear was just below the surface. Refusing to give into the damper mood, Nick tried his hand at a joke, a half successful attempt at lightening the mood.

"How about O.S. and M.S.?"

"Why? And which one is which?" Judy's curiosity allowing him to explain.

"Well, they stand for "Oh Shit" and "More Shit". M.S. would obviously be the more surgical one, because it's almost as if she has an advanced degree in this, and it seems like she's not the front liner, don't you think?" The small comic relief despite the bad set up got a chuckle from the bunny, secretly thanking Nick for his humourous attitude to everything. The sigh and head shake from the buffalo hid his own amusement, and he subsequently walked away, trying desperately to hide his oncoming laughter from the two detectives.

They didn't notice the subtle signs as they walked back to Pawtorias's car, no longer needed or needing to be at the scene. When they got back in, this time with Judy in the driver's seat, they spoke much more openly about it, their conversation more like a string of thoughts said outloud.

"So if they weren't killed here then-"

"-they were probably killed at the resort-"

"-which means they were sent there-"

"-by someone not too happy with Vartini." Judy finished the sentence, but a look on Nick's face caused her to second guess the conclusion. "What are you thinking, slick?"

"I don't think Vartini was the target. I think they were the target." He said, now just chewing on a popsicle stick. The idea got a raised eyebrow and second guessing from the rabbit.

"Well think about it Judy. Everyone with the resources to hire a professional hit team like that probably knows what kind of danger those two are. If you wanted to get to Vartini, then the best bet would be getting around his two borrowed tools, not through them. Hiring a mouse or someone to sneak in and poison his drink or something would make a lot more sense than trying to fight through all of his cronies. But if you wanted to kill the two assailants the only way you're going to get the chance is fighting them head on. I doubt anything subtle would come close." His logic seemed sound, and it was more than enough to convince Judy of his line of thought. However, before they could go into they could go into the implications of this, Judy's phone lit up, a call from Nick's least and her favourite badger coming in.

"Oh hey Honey! I was just about to stop by Precinct 3. You there? We have to talk." She greeted the badger as she got the car started.

" _Yeah, no time to talk, we'll talk when you get here. I just wanted to tell you to check your mail on the way here, got it? See you soon. CHECK YOUR MAIL! Bye."_ The badger's bipolarism put itself on display, her rushed inclination better letting it shine through, especially with the hollering command transitioning to the friendly chirp at the end. Surprised and slightly confused, she hung up the phone and started driving to her apartment. Nick, having easily overheard the short conversation, didn't even bother asking anything.

* * *

"OH GOOD YOU'RE HERE. Excellent, we can get started planning the party!" The over excited badger pulled Judy away to the safe room, Nick running to keep up. Not understanding what she was doing, and with neither of them really in a position to argue, they waited until they got to the room before asking questions. This time three other officers sat there, two hyenas and a leopard, waiting almost nonchalantly. The moment the badger closed and locked the door though, the charade fell, and, the leopard at least, took a more serious posture, with Honey lemon dropping her animated persona.

"Did you bring your mail? Let me see it." She said as she reached for the pile of envelopes, brochures, and magazines that Nick had been carrying for the rabbit. The lot of them sat in silence as she sifted through it all, waiting for her to explain on her own time. Her break in the relatively calm mood startled everyone.

"AHA! YES! THIS IS SWEET SWEET VICTORY! If it wasn't just paper I would eat it just for the taste, ahahaha!" She bursted out, holding a rather fancy looking envelope in her hand. Passing it over to Judy, Nick looked over her shoulder to notice the big calligraphy 'V' on the front, with a similar insignia stamped into the wax seal on the other side.

"Who sends letters anymore? Seems so old fashioned." He quipped, getting a glare from Honeylemon and small nods of agreement from the other mammals in the room. Judy opened the letter though, and read it's contents, to herself of course. Nick did the same, and could feel the blush as the not-so-subtle implication the writer made sunk into her.

"Weeeelll? Is it what I think it is?" The badger badgered, the wrecking feeling of anticipation almost too obvious.

"Hehehe, yes, this is an explicit invitation for Judy and myself to a complimentary stay at the _Lady and Tramp_ hotel and resort. We're in, in…" he looked back at the invitation, skimming to the date given, "20 hours from the look of it." His answer got a cry of victory from the badger, who accepted the good news with open arms, despite it being the fox that gave it.

"YES! This is gonna finally happen! That rat won't know what hit him!" She jumped up with glee, happy as can be. As she jumped with joy, the leopard introduced himself and decided to go over the details.

"Hey, I'm Officer Jacob Juniper. Over there are the giggle twins. You can ignore them for now. Over the past couple of days my partner here has been pushing every contact she could bribe or intimidate into getting you two into that resort. This is a major breakthrough for her." He said, ignoring the scowls from the two hyenas in the room, as they soon began to giggle at the sight of the giddy badger again.

"So what's the plan, Honey? Are you just gonna stand there celebrating your victory before you've actually won? If so, we can do do the rest from here." Nick goaded her into calming down, trying to get her on track. Scowling at him, she calmed down just a bit, and then saw the expectant (and humoured) stares directed back at her, so she composed herself, realizing he was right.

"Hmmph. Fine, I guess you're right. Let's figure this out."

"First off, you guys won't be able to do anything the first night. If he treats you two to a nice dinner, and a tour of the resort, you'll be too tired to act that first night, which could not only hamper the whole thing once we all move in but also put you two in danger if anyone thinks you might be involved and comes to check on you only find a weird device plugged into the wall." John tossed in, starting the conversation. Everyone nodded their heads, and then one of the hyenas spoke up, adding to the pot of warnings.

"They'll also undoubtedly have a camera or two on the inside, so before you get, hehe, frisky, hehehe, you might want to-" he said, his joke almost getting Judy to literally steam. However, Honey interrupted, frustrated with his lack of professionalism, funnily enough.

"Will you shut up. They're going undercover, they're not really a couple you blithering idiot." She snapped at them. Nick saw the value in the statement though, and thought about it. Well, the camera part. He kept himself squarely focused on the professional part.

"What is it fox? You thinking too much?" the badger shot, hoping to get him back for his earlier quip.

"No, not too much. Just enough so you don't have to get a headache." His verbal parry got a under her skin, but he continued, slightly pleased with her frustration.

"They very well might have cameras in the room. If they do, then we might have to put on a show and then make a complaint to have them removed or disabled." He brought up, getting a subtle nod from the cat in the room. The badger's face contorted with a look of disgust, and Judy sat unaware of the implications, trying to figure out anymore possible problems.

"Gross. But I guess you're right. Well, that's all you two need to do for now. As soon as you can Judy," the mention of her name snapped her back to the conversation, and it all hit her, "reply to that letter. You two should leave now. Walk out happy and cheery and go home. Got it? I'll have Juniper send you the details once we've hammered everything out. Got it? Now go, shoo." She said as she kicked them out.

* * *

The ride back to Nick's place after Judy left a response letter in the resort's mailbox was made mainly in silence, the weight of anticipation for tomorrow labouring over their heads. Then Nick's last comment at the precinct hit her.

"Um, Nick, what did you mean by "put on a show"…?" She asked, massive fear and blush at the innuendo.

"We'll talk about that when we get there Carrots. For now, let's focus on food. I know it's only 5, but I'm famished."

* * *

 **Hey everybody. Be happy writing is the only thing keeping me sane right now, otherwise I would've been working on my final and my research project instead ; ). Actually, I might want to get on top of those... Anywho, this is the second to last chapter before the shit hits the fan and secrets are spilled, so the next one will be long and really, REALLY, _REALLY_ action packed and (insert captivating words here). So watch out for it. And please, review, it really does wonders to my mood.**

 **PS: Thank you again to Morguerat and Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, and thank you to gonekrazy3000 for you reviews on the last couple of chapters.**

 **Also, in case anyone else is wondering, no, this story will not contain any lemons. It might have sexualized chapters, and it might have a chapter or two with sex in them, but nothing close to pornographic.**


	13. Chapter 12 part 1

_Judy just stood there, doused in blood, numb to the world. She knew Pawtorias had walked up to her, she knew he was trying to comfort her, but all she could really feel was the dried up blood on her fur, and the intense numbness that had come with watching the ambulance speed away with her red furred fox. How had it come to this? Nick… She didn't know if she had only thought it, or if it had been the last word on her tongue, before she slipped out of consciousness, no longer caring about the burning building, the countless other ambulances, or the mass of reporters and officers rushing towards her._

* * *

Judy lay in Nick's kitchen, staring blankly at the laptop Nick had left her with. The amusing fails videos weren't really entertaining for her, but the background noise helped keep her sane while she was alone. It also let her more easily think about why the fennec fox would need Nick this late at night, causing her partner to leave her all alone in his humble abode. Although, no matter how much she tried to piece the conversation, she simply had too little information. _Those foxes were too good at keeping secrets_ … the thought rang loud and clear through her head as she got up, intent on finding something to preoccupy herself.

As she rummaged through his cleaning supplies, assorted food stuffs, she found the last thing she expected to find: an opened bottle of wine. The label on the front marked it as old, and the dust that had accumulated on its surface marked it as untouched for the past couple of years at least. She dragged the bottle out of the cabinet, wondering why on Earth the only mammal that she knew that didn't drink would have a bottle of wine hidden in his cupboards. However, a sudden thought hit her, one that made her pour a glass to calm down.

"What _do_ I _know_ about you, Nick? Why do I know so little when you know so much about me?" The wine bottle stirred her thoughts and concerns, as she went over exactly how much she knew about her friend and partner.

 _Well, starting with the basics, he's a fox. He's a former conmammal, and by most's recalling, a really good one. No surprise there, he's incredibly smart; undoubtedly smart enough to hoodwink more than a few people. Wait…_ she stopped mid thought, dots connecting in her head. _Didn't Pawtorias say he got better marks than me? And he's close friends with the college Librarian, I wonder if he has a college education? But wouldn't he have put that on his application?_ She pondered, trying to sort out everything, but not really able to truly believe it.

 **Why not? He's hidden bigger things before; he even had two tax filings to avoid anyone finding out where he lived. Why wouldn't he hide a college degree?**

The tiny voice in her mind broke her string of though. That was true. She mulled over it a bit, pacing around the living quarters to keep herself from thumping her foot too much. And just as she was about to jected the idea again, the voice spoke up once more, dashing her resistance to the idea.

 **Are you rejecting the idea because of the evidence, or because he's a fox. If you want anymore proof, just look at the box in front of you.**

The insinuation snapped her out of her own head, and back to reality. In front of her lay the chest she had found herself in just a couple of nights ago, the one Nick had locked to keep her out of. She stared at it in shock, not realizing until that moment that she had walked into the fox's bedroom room. As she stared at it, the very strong desire to open it and search its contents bubbled up to the surface. It was besides the point, as she didn't have the key…

Her mind went blank as she gulped down the glass of wine, which, despite the condition of the bottle, was delectable, and immediately poured herself another, just to down it as well, if only much slower. Pacing, she went through glass after glass, obsessing over the few details she knew about her gracious host, trying to piece the mysterious fox together. Hours passed, and she would eventually find herself going from asking questions about him, to asking them of him, as she curled up in his bed, very drunk, and fell asleep.

* * *

The grey rabbit woke up unusually late the next morning, still feeling groggy from the night before. For some reason she couldn't exactly remember it, until she opened her eyes and came face to face with the side of a wine bottle and a hard whiff of her host fox. In that second she knew exactly where she was, and most of what she had done the night previously. _Most_ , but not everything. Hoping against hope, she slowly stretched out over the bed, through the assortment of blankets and pillows for any other body. As it became clear there wasn't one, she breathed a sigh of relief for the moment. One that was several minutes too soon.

"Well, can I guess that my little bed thief is finally awake? Or has that become your rabbit hole now?" _Shit…_ Nick's sarcastic voice was as clear as his scent, which was currently threatening to lull her back to sleep.

Refusing to let her comfortability get the better of her at the moment, she dragged herself to a sitting position, one ear falling over half of her face, wiped the sleep from her eyes, and let the yawn take her, hoping she didn't look too-

"Aww, how adorable! Ya know, if Finnick and I had had you in our hussles, I'm sure we would've been richer than even Mr. Big." _Damnit…_ His comment proved she probably looked more cute than she had hoped.

"I'm sorry that I stole your bed Nick, but if you even suggest me doing anything less than perfectly legal again then I'll gladly kick your ass in the ring again." She fired, getting nothing but a sincere cackle in response. His sincerity was touching, she could help but start to smile, opening her eyes and begin moving her ear out of the way. He slowly walked over to her, his laughter still ringing through the room, slowly fading. When he got to her, he handed the hungover rabbit a steaming mug of a minty smelling coffee.

"Drink up, this will relieve that headache and nausea in a microsecond." She took the mug, not bothering to tell him she was neither nauseous nor had a headache. She took a sip, and stared as he took a seat next to her, after moving the large wine bottle, looking at it in dismay. As he did, she built up the courage to ask the leering question.

"Nick, we didn't…?" She tapered off, not really being able to say the words. The chuckle that responded to her calmed her fears for a moment, and her small smile widened a bit.

"No, we didn't do anything. After I went out last night, I got back to find you mumbling something, curled up here in my bed. It looked like you were comfortable, so I let you sleep and made myself comfortable on the couch." His grin and cool composure put her fears to rest, and she released a sigh that she had been holding in.

"I'm sorry I drank your wine. I thought you didn't drink, why did you have a bottle of wine?" She queried, noticing how he was staring at the now empty bottle. His mood dropped slightly, but he answered, trying to open up just a bit to the rabbit that had commandeered his bed last night.

"To be completely honest, it wasn't exactly mine. It was a gift to my parents, who also didn't drink. So they just kept it. When my mother died, it was one of the few things I kept from her house. I have no idea why." His response shocked her. Nick had never opened up about his past or his family, so waking up to the revelation that she just drank one of his few pieces of inheritance was emotionally overwhelming. As she took it in, she felt a terrible cold creep in on her; regret for touching the bottle, and the threat of a very tearful apology. However, he spoke up again, standing up with the bottle in his hand, a small smirk on his face.

"Thanks Carrots. I think I've needed to get rid of this. Now I can without feeling to bad about letting it go to waste. That's one problem off my back." Her face of shock grew, now completely floored by his nonchalance.

"Wait, Nick! Come back here!" She shouted after him, confusion and frustration getting the better of her. Popping his head back in, slightly confused at the raised voice and subtle hostility. When he saw her face, the mixture of bewilderment and irritation and regret that it was, he snickered, and walked up to her again, a sincere face hiding his deeper emotions, despite her attempts to discern them. Holding up his paw to stop her from talking, he made his move to drop the subject.

"Howabout this Carrots; if this weekend goes just right, after we catch the bad guy, I'll bring you right back here and explain everything. You have a question? It'll be answered. Want to go through the big chest? I'll open it for you myself and tell you the story behind every single thing inside. My whole life story, just as long as you don't ditch me for some-bunny else over the couple of days, okay?" His relaxed, half-lidded expression disarmed her, and as the offer was simply massive, she nodded her head, taken aback by the gesture. The moment was ruined when she noticed his eyebrow wiggle, and his pun hit her. She rolled her eyes at him, and they laughed as she pushed his face out of hers.

"Hey, while I was out last night, Honey called me and asked me to grab some of your fancier clothes. She already had a bag ready for you when I got your place with Finnick. It's in the kitchen if you want to check them out." He mentioned as he walked out, remembering to let her know. As he went down to the dumpster, she ran to the bag, and carefully looked through it. _Yeah, looks my finer dresses are all here… I guess I might be needing them, the hotel is a finer place… what's this…?_ At the bottom of the bag was a brown paper package, with a little note taped to the front of it. Grabbing it, she pulled it out, and read the note over quickly.

 _ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES ARE_ SOOOO _BORING! Thought you should have_ something _spicy for your alone time with Nick ; ) Good luck!_

The badger's erratic handwriting matched her quirky personality, but the words it formed terrified Judy to her core. _What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

It didn't take the two long to pack. After her shower, she found a suitcase ready for her, and eagerly tucked her stuff into it, determined to hide whatever atrocity the badger had given her from the fox in the next room. As they were getting into the car, that brought up a question for the small bunny though, one she was curious about.

"Nick, do _you_ have any nice clothing? Besides your ceremonial ensemble?" She questioned. If he dared to throw on another one of those disgusting Pawaiian shirts over the weekend she might just find some-bunny else. His chuckle of a response cause her eyes to narrow, worried about his answer.

"Of course, my judgemental little Carrot. You're looking at the most charming fox in Zootopia. More than once I've needed a fine suit, and I always have what I need." His answer placated her, but failed to drop the squinted eyes of suspicion. It wasn't a lie, just wasn't the whole truth either. He always seemed to have what he needed, just not when he needed it. However, this time he had everything he thought might come up, and so didn't feel the least bit guilty for the slight fib.

Their drive through Zootopia was silent, as Nick kept up his cocky demeanor and Judy focused on both the road and the raging questions in her head. Having grown up in the conservative emptiness of Bunny Burrows, the taboo that she was about to commit, even if only as a show, was such a foreign and loathed idea that the very defense of it could break up families. However, Judy never really understood why, and the few times she had seen the affect the rift had formed so silently she had no idea that it was there until she went out of her way to ask about them, and then the answers would come in the form of hushed voices and vague statements.

And that was just premarital cohabitation. Interspecies relationships simply wasn't a thing in the Tri-boroughs, with the vast majority of the residents being bunnies, and the few non-rabbits keeping to themselves. The silence on that topic was deafening for Judy as a youngster, as she only ever hung out with non-bunnies, if she hung out with anyone at all. And now the weight of everything was hitting her all at once, leaving her mental state in a very precarious position.

"Was it really that bad back on the farm?" Nick disturbed her from her intense internal conversation, almost getting a jump out of the driver.

"What-okay, seriously, I know I didn't say anything this time. How the heck did you know what I was thinking about?" She glanced at him, her eyes firing daggers. The fox's snigger left her steaming, but as his chuckles died down, she sighed, and gave in, answering his question.

"No, it wasn't 'that' bad. But it wasn't very open. Taboos were dealt with through evasion and silence. People who broke the norm were kind of just… gone. One day Uncle Dan would be laughing in the field with us; the next, it-it was almost as if he didn't exist. Kind of unnerving, ya know?" She explained, glad at getting the weight off of her chest. When she finally said it, though, she realized just how ridiculous her worries had been, how little she cared for the restrictions others had placed on her. This time it was her turn to laugh, the sound getting a raised eyebrow from the fox in the passenger seat, who had been prepared to try and comfort her. She was still laughing at herself as they pulled up to the front of the resort.

She turned to Nick, and before he could say anything, grabbed him by his tie and pulled him in for a deep, long, passionate kiss, not noticing the look of surprise on his face, or how it melted into one of sheer bliss a second later. They held that position for several moments, Judy's fears dying in their embrace. Almost regretfully, she broke it, taking an inch back from him, allowing both of them to catch their breath. Slightly gasping, Nick found his voice first.

"Haha… well, that was… unexpected. Where'd you find the courage to do that? What happened to the… taboo as you called it?" He got out, his head spinning from the surprise. The liberated bunny giggled at his look of pleasant confusion, enjoying her newfound freedom.

"I just realize when I said it outloud that I've been breaking all the rules up until now, so what's the problem with breaking this one too?" She said, her voice now filled with her the pleasure of her new freedom.

"Well, if that's all it took, then I seriously should've gotten you to open up about it sooner. Would've saved me a lot of sleepless nights." He lightly growled, inching back to her. However, a knock on their window interrupted their newly kindled romance. Just outside was a formally dressed snow leopard, her expression both irritated and slightly amused at the same time. Just then they realized where they were, and what they were supposed to be doing. Judy's blush was apparent, while Nick pulled up his usual cocky facade.

"Oh, sorry, hello, I'm-" Judy started as she rolled down the window. However, the leopard stopped her, her face losing the subtle marks of irritation and turned entirely pleasant.

"I know who you and your partner are, Miss Hopps. I was instructed to personally show you in. If you would just exit the vehicle, I'll have a valet park it for you and bring in your bags. Mr. Vartini was most pleased that with your response, and would like to see your reaction to the tour, if you're up for meeting with him afterwards for lunch." The leopard spoke with a elegance and grace that was befitting the atmosphere of the five star resort. They two smaller mammals quickly hopped out of the car, surprised by the hospitality. Not knowing if it was a good idea, Judy stammered for a bit, but Nick quickly came to her rescue.

"Of course we would! It's not every day we're invited to such a high end place, and this is definitely the first time we've been offered anything for free. It would be rude not to, right Carrots?" His response put the rabbit at ease, and her genuine look of agreement got a smile from their attendant, who happily took out a notepad and jotted something down.

"I'm sure Mr. Vartini will be pleased to hear that. He was actually surprised that you two would be keeping something like this a secret, although, being police officers could make the whole ordeal more difficult than normal celebrities. By the way, my name is Clarissa Notting, and I'll be your specified attendant for the length of your stay here." Her lighthearted attempt at conversation disarmed the two detectives, who were expecting a far more hostile reception.

"Well, a lot of things have kept us from going public." Judy responded, the half truth readily accepted by the hotel worker. As a valet driver walked up to the three of them, she passed the note to the jackal, and lead the pair inside.

"What do you mean by specified attendant?" Nick asked, truly curious, but also keen about keeping the subject off of them.

"Hm. Well, here at _Lady and Tramp Resort_ , we pride ourselves on greater than excellent service. For every room, we have a dedicated staff member to manage and attend to them, and when occupied, provide the occupants with whatever assistance or aid they require or request. Luckily for you tow, you were given one of the special luxury suites, the room I'm currently assigned to." Her smile turned more into a grin, a proud little smirk, at the explanation. Seeing her expression change, and while waiting for the elevator door to open, Judy asked about it, following Nick's subtle lead.

"Why special for us?" Ms. Notting turned and looked at them with a delightfully smug expression, and responded likewise.

"Miss Hopps, I'm the very best at what I do. I assure you, when you leave here, you'll be disappointed to have to." Her grin and almost sultry voice flavoured the comment just slightly exciting, and slightly off, causing a chill down their backs. As they got onto the elevator with the large cat, Nick's paw found itself in Judy's getting a blush from the rabbit, her ears falling back. Unsure of why her paw was not entangled in his, but not wanting to let go, she moved into his side as the door closed, looking to get comfortable. _Oh sweet cheese and crackers, what's going to happen now?_

* * *

Vartini and his two borrowed minions sat in his penthouse, waiting for an answer from his hand picked employee. She was good at her job, he had no doubt that Ms. Notting would get him the lunch meeting. But the two foxes in the room had pointed out something he wasn't really aware of. And the wolf tied up in the corner wasn't helping, as he continued to pester them with questions.

"Um… seriously, why am I here? I told you guys everything I know, so are you gonna kill me or let me go? Please just let me go. I don't know how I could possibly be of any more use to you. Can I at least get some water? I'm really thirsty-" Vartini had enough of him, and slammed his paw on the table, silencing him. Hissing to Eleazar, his order terrified the canine.

"Eleazar, just slit his throat and have someone take care of the body. He's gotten on my last nerve." Vartini demanded. The black fox didn't show and sign of caring one way or another, and made a step to Charlie, reaching for one of his knives. Before he could though, Lucia stepped in, her dainty little skip quickly erasing the look of fear that had come over the captive.

"Oh no you don't! Just look at his face! You can't just kill something this cute. Besides, he's a league smarter than most wolves, and that's a real rarity." She spoke as she dance around him, running her paws over him lightly, putting herself in between him and her apathetic brother. However, the other two free criminals in the room knew she was playing a bigger game, and Vartini relented.

"Ugh, fine, just take him out of here. I can't stand his constant jabbering." With a jump and cheerful wave, the arctic fox gleefully dragged the incredibly confused wolf out of the room, chair and all. Once the door shut behind them, Vartini asked the remaining fox the lingering question.

"What is she getting at?" His snarl didn't get a reaction, but his words did, one just as void of emotions as he had come to expect from the monotonous vulpine.

"I find it better to not question her. She's an eccentric, something she gets from our father. Her intelligence manifests itself in very odd actions." His reply was nothing unexpected, and the rat sighed in acceptance. However, he wasn't done yet, and so the fox continued.

"You're more frustrated that you might have played too soon. I have no idea why you were so easy to invite two detectives here. Especially when we know they're working with Pawtorias." Eleazar restated, bringing the smaller mammal back to the task at hand. Vartini had completely forgotten the fact when the line of gossip had reached his ears, and hadn't remembered it until after he sent his invitation to the couple.

"You said you cleaned your tracks, right? So they should've have no idea that you're here. As long as it stays that way then we're fine, right?" His voice tried to hold a tone of authority, but it was obvious he wasn't exactly confident in anything he had to say. Looking at him over his shoulder, Eleazar kept his face as empty as ever, not a lick of emotions to show.

"Right. But a lot could change, and neither you nor we have or know all of the cards right now, do we?" He said, doing nothing for the rat's grating nerves. Just then there was a knock at the door, and the assassin opened it, to let in a uniformed jackal. Handing the note to the black fox, he tipped his hat at his employer and quickly left. Without a word, he passed it to Vartini, who read it over quickly.

"So I have a lunch meeting with them. One that I am now painfully aware that I'm unprepared for. How the hell am I going to play this?" He shouted, violently scratching his head, trying to piece the puzzle together. At that, Eleazar sighed, and took control of the situation.

"You'll be busy for lunch. Send your son instead." The comment confused the rodent, who looked up at him as if to ask why. The larger canine was more than willing to answer the question.

"You're a businessman. You're busy for lunch. Send your son and his weasel girlfriend to meet with them instead. If they're really here out of romantic reasons then they'll find the company of another interspecies couple far more comforting than a crime boss. Drake should be keen enough to notice if they're off, and you'll be able to talk to him about it afterwards. It'll give you a better hint at their true intentions." He explained, his dispassionate attitude speaking volumes to the logic of the choice. Taking a second to think about it, Vartini decided that it was an acceptable option.

"Call Drake and tell him he has a luncheon with the couple. And for him to bring his _darling_ with him. Then get someone to tell Claire about the change of plans. Oh,-" He interrupted Eleazar's march to the door, remembering something, "and make sure you tell little Miss Piano hands that you and her are not to leave the employee only section of the building without my say so. I had to drop a thousand dollars to have your scent removed from the hallways, just in case Mr. Wilde is who you think he is. If it happens again, we won't have either the time or resources to reverse that little problem, now will we?" He added, getting only an affirmative nod in response from the cool-headed vulpine, and then he swiftly exited the room, leaving the rat alone to figure out the rest of the weekend.

* * *

Nick was both impressed and let down by the hotel. The access to fine dining and movie theater options weren't all public information, and were quite the attraction, but he had hoped there would be a pool somewhere nearby. However, he decided that the game rooms were more than enough to compensate, and decided all in all it was, all in all, so far a 5 star hotel. The two hadn't let go of each other the entire time, and as they moved through the tour, he could feel her relaxing in his grasp, getting more and more comfortable with him. _Good, we have to look like an established couple, so better get used to it, Carrots_ , he thought to himself. They were back in the room suites, with Ms. Notting showing them to their room. As she was handing him the key, a large mountain lion walked up behind her, and cleared his voice to make his presence known.

"Ma'am, it seems that Mr. Vartini will be unavailable for the lunch meeting with your guests. However, his son, Drake Vartini, would like to keep the offer extended, as an apology for such a hectic family schedule." The lion said, a formal posture and tone matching his suit and tie. Obviously taken aback by the news, for a second the leopard was speechless, but quickly recovered. She turned to Nick and Judy, who were slightly puzzled by the change of plans.

"Will Drake be bringing his significant other as well?" She asked before either of her two clients could say anything.

"Yes, Miss Darla Weaselton will be in company if they agree to meet with him." He answered, keeping up his proper verbiage. Smiling, the snow cat turned to the smaller couple, ready to explain.

"I'm sorry about this, but Mr. Vartini is incredibly busy most of the time. But I think you'll have a much better time with his son. Much more savoury characters. And he doesn't generally let people meet with his family, so if you don't want to unknowingly insult him, I would take offer." She elaborated. The two looked at each other and shrugged, wanting lunch and having already expected to meet with one of the Vartinis anyway.

"We'll take it then." Judy chirped, a smile on her face. Pleased with their response, she didn't even bother looking back at the lion, knowing he was already off to deliver the answer. Before he got too far, he turned again, and made a very simple remark.

"They're expected in 30 minutes, at the Rainforest Cafe." He said before walking off. Taking the in the timing, she looked down at her guests, who were eager to get inside their hotel room by the looks of it.

"You two have just enough time to change. We really shouldn't keep them waiting. I'll be back in 20 minutes to take you over, yes? Now here's your key." She said as she seemingly went over something in her head, somewhat distracted. Taking the key from her, they watched her leave, a quickness to her pace, as if she remembered she had forgotten to do something. Shrugging, Nick opened the door to their room, silently and unnoticeably scanning it for security cameras as they entered, keeping a composed and relaxed orientation. Judy was a little more frantic though, rushing past him to get a sight of the suite. The single double wolf sized bed was more than large enough for them, with it having more than enough space for them to sleep practically separately if they wanted to. A large flat screen hung on the wall directly across from it, and next to the bed were two nightstands and a desk. On the far side was a large window and balcony, with a door on the adjacent wall next to the nightstand, which undoubtedly led to the bathroom. Taking in the sight, Nick could tell Judy was overjoyed, especially as she sprang into the air, and landed on the bed, bouncing softly as she landed on her back.

"I love it! Much better than home! I could get used to this!" She said as she took in the comfort. The mattress was without a doubt, softer and more comfortable than either her own or the mound of cushions and blankets Nick called a bed. However, there was something about that last option that still seemed more… tantalizing to the bunny.

"Haha. Well don't. We only have 20 minutes, remember? So change before I'm forced to do it for you." He said with a wiggle in his eyes, getting a deep blush from the rabbit at the insinuation. Jumping off the bed, she held her chin up high, trying to not give him any extra satisfaction at her embarrassment.

"Fine. Let me just grab my bag." She said as she pulled the suitcase to the bathroom and quietly shut the door behind her, ignoring his snickering at her posture.

It didn't take them 20 minutes to change, so when they were done with 10 to spare, a sudden awkwardness hit them. _Crap on a cracker, I didn't think that kiss far enough ahead, didn't I?_ Her thought was obvious, as she now had no idea how to act with Nick. From the bathroom door she looked him up and down, taking in his choice of attire. He had chosen grey, close fitting jeans, instead of his usual shorts. He had on a blue button up and black vest on top of that, and he held a black jacket under his arm. The casual, yet formal look suited him well, and she couldn't help but bit her lip at the view.

Nick's thoughts were similar, staring back at her. While he had dressed up, she had got the opposite way, wearing a fitted, smooth dark purple top and black tights. He almost never saw her in such casual clothes, so he took the few seconds to admire the view. Under his gaze she realized how out of the ordinary her attire was, and the look of embarrassment crept into her stance, find its way onto her face. Seeing this, he sauntered over to her, keeping his intentions behind a well kept emotional mask. Before she could prepare herself, he swung one arm around her and pulled her into another kiss, happy that this time she was the surprised one. After a second, he felt her arms reach around his neck, and his other arm tossed the jacket on the bed and scooped her up. However, before they could melt any further into their embrace, a similar knock at the door interrupted them.

"Damn that leopard…!" Nick growled under his voice, as Judy, almost thankful for the break, giggle at his frustration. She hopped across the room, ready to answer the door, while Nick reached over to grab his jacket again. When she opened it, Clarissa was standing at attention, waiting on them.

"Excellent, you're ready. I was afraid I was a little too quick. I'm hoping I didn't interrupt anything?" Her respectful attitude and question got almost got a response from Nick, however, Judy answered before he could say anything.

"No, nothing important. Should we get going?"

* * *

 **Hey everyone. Sorry that this chapter doesn't have the action. We're getting to it, I swear. But this chapter is already 1500 words longer than average, and the rest is already at 4000 words, so... 0.o yeah, had to cut it down. The next part should be out in the next couple of days, because it's mostly already written.**

 **Thanks to gonekrazy3000 and ultamantman for your reviews. You guys keep me going.**

 **Also, I deleted the AN chapters as I decided the one anonymous reviewer that kept badgering the point wasn't worth it, and so to will simply be deleting his posts going forward if they are on the same topic or without merit.**

 **Thank you for reading, please review and tell me what you think. Also, in planning this story, I don't know how 'fantastical' the ending should be. I've been bouncing the ideas back and forth, and I can either really delve into the supernatural part, or make it more natural, just leaving a hint of it. What do you guys think?**


	14. Chapter 12 part 2

Judy didn't know how she should feel, but knew how she did. Surprisingly relaxed. Despite how new and normally uncomfortable this all was, she felt unusually calm. The rat and his girlfriend, despite being closely connected to less than pleasant people, were extremely pleasurable company. Miss Darla Weaselton, unfortunately, was related to the duke of bootleg, however, she and Judy were simply able to bond over the weasel's failings, and Nick was able to keep himself and Drake from dropping out of the conversation. The lighthearted banter put the detectives at ease, leaving them far more comfortable than they expected. The food was delicious, the servers quick on their feet, and for a second, the two mammals hadn't a care in the world.

That was until Darla left to the bathroom soon after finishing her mood, and Drake's attitude immediately went cold. His previously lively tone souring in an instant, scaring the two. When he finally spoke in this new atmosphere, his voice held a calculating quality, as if trying piece them apart.

"Look, I know why you're here; my father doesn't tell my siblings or I anything, but I know what he does behind the scenes. His criminal activities though have nothing to do with this resort, and I would appreciate it very much if you two were to simply leave at the next available moment. I sincerely don't want to force you, as I truly do like you two. I stood with Gazelle against the fear Mayor Bellewether tried to invoke against predators, and was relieved to see her brought down. However," his face and voice softened a bit, and Judy noticed out of the corner of her eye that Nick's slightly fluffed fur calmed down, and realized he already knew how to play the rat in front of them. It was obvious that the crime boss's son didn't though, and kept speaking.

"I won't let you tear down this place. Despite the undoubtedly heinous things my father has done, this is one of the few good things he has done, and isn't marred by his less than savory deals elsewhere." The rat concluded, his eyes holding a fierce determination. With that Nick's face went from threatened to cocky to his faux sincerity rather quickly, before he responded to the now guarded host.

"Look Drake, Judy and I are off the clock for the next three days. Do you think we're about to do something as stupid as go after a notoriously vicious crime boss by ourselves on our vacation days? I know we're heroes and everything, but I'm not about to let this weekend be taken from what little time I get with her. I mean, seriously, we get so little time as it is just to be alone, and most of that time is either spent sleeping or held up at the precinct going over case details. When we're out in public, half the time we're being harassed by the media, and the other half of the time badgered by, well, the public." He said, seemingly striking a chord with the business mammal. He looked slightly ashamed, realizing how rude he must've seemed, yet not entirely convinced, and so Nick pressed the point.

"We know how important a sanctuary like this is. We used to have to respond to calls about 'inappropriate behaviour' between mammals purely because some bigot got it into their head that mammals should be as shallow as they are. So being invited to a place where we can relax and just be us is so relieving. So trust us, we're not gonna do anything that might harm the reputation of this place. As long as your father doesn't start parade his, what did you call them? Oh yes, 'less than savory deals' in front of our faces, we have no reason to go after him." He said as he leaned back, being his more casual, usual self, and that's when the young Vartini caved, letting out a sigh, showing just how much he believed the former con artist. At the same time, Judy released a breath she had been absently holding in, worried that the rat wouldn't take to Nick's acting and half truths very well. When he did, the relief that washed over the rabbit was almost overpowering, and she could barely stop herself from speaking up, knowing Nick wasn't done with his spiel.

"I know why you're worried. This resort is one of the perfect places for couples like us to get some privacy. I'm positive you cherish it; I know I'm going to. But that brings up something I had almost forgotten about…" Now it was Nick's turn to get aggressive.

"When we're in our hotel room, we expect a decent amount of privacy. I'm pretty shy, and I don't like the idea of being spyed in on while Judy and I are changing, or, even worse, in bed. And I doubt any of your other clients would expect that either. So why are there two cameras in our room?" He asked, a slight force behind the question, now completely in control of the conversation. Drake at this point began to stutter just a bit, and rubbed the back of his head, trying say something justifiable. Hoping to really win him over, Judy interrupted, placing her paw on Nick's arm.

"Hey, it's probably for no reason in particular. Just basic security. There are bound to reasons to keep a way to check on the guests, right?" She came to his defense, which finally solidified the rat's resolve. Clenching his fist, his confidence came up again, and he answered, perfectly hustled.

"No, there isn't. I keep telling my father we should remove the cameras from in the rooms. It's a waste and complete invasion of people's privacy. Don't worry though, I'll have them removed before you get back. I agree, you came here for privacy, and that's exactly what you should be getting." He declared, and jumped to his feet. Excusing himself from the table, he ran off to find one of the hotel workers to give the order, leaving Nick and Judy to subtle celebrate their little victory.

* * *

The rest of lunch, and the following hours, were spent very similarly to how the lunch was originally, with Drake and Darla being the pleasant company they had come off as in the beginning and Nick and Judy further getting used to being a couple. However, as the sun started to set, Drake Vartini interrupted them, an announcement on the tip of his tongue.

"Nick, Judy, I know my father extended a stay here at the _Lady and Tramp_ on his dime. However, he doesn't own the restaurant, and so failed to extend the invitation to that as well. However, as a thank you for extending your trust to my beloved and myself, I made some phone calls, and got the two of you a table tonight. I would be most gracious if you two attended, paid for in advance by us." The rat's smug demeanor and self impressed tone was apparent, but Judy was more so focused on the very expensive dinner she and Nick were being offered. Before she or the fox had any chance at refusing it, he held up his paw, Drake keeping control of the situation, almost haughtily.

"And I won't take no for an answer. It's just about 5 now, right? Well, that means you two have an hour to get ready, and Darla and I have plans of our own. Thank you, you two really have made this day far more fun than I was expecting it to be at this point. Miss Notting," he directed his next comments at their attendant, who stood behind them, coming out of the blue, "please show them back to their room, before they have a chance to argue. Again, thank you two a million." Darla smiled sheepishly at his unrelenting insistence, and with a flourishing, the criminal heir waved them off, not even letting them utter a goodbye before they were led away, a well timed crowd separating the two couples. As their attendant slowly navigated the influx of people, the bunny and fox found themselves almost giddy, overwhelmed by the situation and newfound openness. Their thoughts were the same as they got out the door; today _is going to be fun._

* * *

The couple kept up their conversation the entire walk back to their hotel room, but right outside, Miss Notting stopped them, having just remembered something.

"Mr. Wilde, I just remembered something. The owner of the establishment was actually hoping to meet with you before dinner. I recommend you come with me. You can find your way back to your room, correct Miss Hopps?" The leopard's tone was vaguely demanding, leaving them with little choice if they wanted to stay on everyone's good side. Nodding in agreement, the shift vanished from her face as quickly as it had appeared

"Very good. Come along, Mr. Wilde." She turned to walk away, leaving a bewildered look on the fox's snout as he trailed after her, his glances at Judy met with shrugged shoulders. Before they got too far, Clarissa stopped, and looked back at the rabbit, letting her know something.

"Mr. Wilde will meet you at the restaurant. Please get there around 7. Thank you." With that, she, followed by Judy's fox, walked off, leaving her to go to get ready alone.

* * *

"Of course there's nothing here. Those two aren't stupid." The black fox and his white companion sat in the special agent's car, having turned the whole thing inside out, looking for anything that might be useful. Or, at least, the larger of the two were. His sister had regulated herself to crawling into the passenger seat and making herself comfortable, not bother in helping her brother out.

"Well no duh. I told you we wouldn't find anything concrete." She replied as she took in another deep breath. Giving up the search, he gave into his minute curiosity and stepped behind her, poking his muzzle over the shoulder of her seat.

"So what have you been sniffing at?" He said as he started to take in the scents lingering on the upholstery. She found something that she just couldn't get enough of, and he wanted to know what.

"Well, I know that a certain rabbit is most likely getting some tonight." She quipped, just before inhaling again, this time moving her snout closer to the seat. He knew his sister well, and was used to most of her overtly playful or sexual antics, however, he had never seen her display this sort of behaviour before.

"Okay then… That answers questions. What's got you all wound up?" He directed his inquiry at her now, more concerned over why she was being so… odd. She ignored the question, and started sniffing around the driver's seat, taking in the various scents. As she finally registered something, she snapped her eyes open and sat down on the center console, her mood taking a shift from the odd giddy behaviour to a dampened expression. Just as Eleazar was about to repeat his question, her face went stone cold, displaying less emotions than even his own ever did. With a dead voice and empty eyes, she gave him an order, not even bothering to look at him.

"Get back to the room. Arkous wants to talk to you. I'll finish up here." Realizing she wouldn't talk to him, he simply nodded and left, making his way through the side halls and employee only doors to their current residence in the basements of the _Lady and Tramp_ resort. All alone now, The white vixen slowly lowered herself into the passenger seat once again, buried her face in the both seat and her own tail, curled up, and wept.

* * *

Judy stared at her choices of dress. They ranged from conservative puff to a couple things she dare not touch. However, the more she looked, the more she wanted to. One specific dress, a prismatic blue tight dress with a revealing leg cut along the side kept catching her eye. She remembered when the dare that led to her purchasing the dress, and at the time she was sure she would never wear it. But now, she couldn't help but continually size it up. Picking it up, she looked at the neckline, the revealing back, and the long skirt. The fabric was smooth and cool to the touch, and when she glanced in the mirror as she held it, she knew she would look amazing in it. The eyeliner and mascara she applied was barely anything, but the difference it made to her eyes was astonishing. As the light shifted on the dress, a slight purple hue came out, and in the mirror it made her eyes look even better.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers, I better not make a fool of myself…" she mumbled as she happily began to take off her casual clothes, mind set on the dress in her paws. She changed in a flash, only to realize how much time she had wasted picking out an outfit. With only 5 minutes to spare, she threw the rest of her clothes back into her bag, jumped into her fancy heels, and half-walked half-stumbled out the door and to the elevator to the restaurant, hoping the rush hid the deep blush coming up in her cheeks and ears. Getting to the establishment was easy, but as she approached the front desk, an overwhelming feeling of embarrassment and terror hit her, almost getting her to run the other direction. _What am I_ doing _? Am I really wearing this? Where is Nick? Is there-_ her thoughts were interrupted by a white spotted leopard and a well dressed lion, who finally spotted the now almost hyperventilating rabbit.

"Ahh, there you are Miss Hopps. Not even a second late. Impressive! This is your waiter for the evening, Timothy Prairie. He'll show you to your table. Nick is waiting for you." The cheery expression on their faces calmed her down just a bit, and then added after a double take of the small rabbit, "oh, and what a lovely choice of dress. I must say, you look absolutely stunning. At first I was afraid Mr. Wilde was over dressed." She said, the compliment putting her entirely at ease. She followed the waiter in letting her ears fall gracefully against her back, trying to regain her composure. As the past giant tables meant for elephants and medium ones meant for anything in between and a giraffe, she began to take in the decor. The walls were painted a rich deep red, with creamy white columns every 10 feet or so. The crown molding was made out of a unpainted, lacquered cherry wood. Most of the walled carried paintings of someone famous who had eaten there, with a small bronze name card underneath. When they walked up to half wall, she looked over to the small gate, labeled VIP Small. She glanced over the half wall, and immediately saw him.

Nick was dressed in an all black suit, the lean cut and dark colour making his shoulder seem a little broader than usual, making his wayward stare seem mysterious, powerful, and intoxicating to her eyes. His emerald green tie brought out his eyes, and he held a wine glass filled with what looked like champagne, periodically bringing it up to his stoic lips for a sip, making him even more captivating to her. Just then she realized why Miss Notting had said what she did. She had never seen him in such a light, and she regretted not having reason to see him this way more often. As they came around the corner, she saw him sniff a bit, his nose barely twitching, and he glanced in their direction. She let her paw slowly smooth out the front of her dress, a massive grin forming as she saw him gulp and stare at her, wide eyed. He was completely dazzled. After a second, he regained his poise and correcting his face before his mouth fell open.

"Here you are, Miss Hopps. I'll be right back to take your order of something to drink." The lioness mentioned before leaving the two alone. The VIP section was surprisingly empty, giving them enough room and feeling of privacy that once Judy sat down and looked at her partner, she instantly felt the rest of her nerves flushed out of her system, her full confidence returning to her. Nick started, his voice carrying a mature and sophisticated tone she had only heard from him in rare occasions; a stronger quality he used when trying to charm his way out of something, or in this case, into. She had to admit, this time being on the receiving end, she could finally see why he used it. It worked. Well. Very, very well.

"Well, you look incredible. I didn't know you knew how to clean up that way. If so, I would've gotten you out on a date sooner." He said with a coy looking smile spreading on his face.

"I could say the same for you. I never would've thought someone so handsome was hiding under those gaudy Pawaiian shirts." She joked back, her sultry undertone subtle, or, at least she hoped it was subtle. Barking a small laugh, he replied, humoured by her wit.

"Ouch Carrots. But I didn't realize how unobservant you were. I always have this handsome devil on display." He said with a wink as his chuckles died down. Before they continued any further, Judy had one question to ask that simply had to be answered.

"So what did the owner want to talk to you about? And what's with the champagne? I thought you didn't drink." His reply answered her fully, carrying more of that mature undertone that she found to enthralling.

"First of all Carrots, I still don't drink. This is a delectable sparkling honey-apple cider. They didn't have anything besides this or water for me, and I thought the fancy glass needed a fancy drink. As as for the owner thing, turns out he's an old buddy of mine, and didn't think I had a nice enough suit. Sent me to his tailor to get me this. Turns out when you're a famous celebrity, a year old feud over a hundred bucks isn't really worth it anymore." The allusion caused Judy to stare at her companion, eyes narrowed. His eyes beckoned back, challenging her. Game set and match.

* * *

The dinner went on like that for hours, the two exchanging witticisms and jokes interspersed with stories and follow up questions. Nick couldn't be more pleased with the night's events. For him, the meal, view, and entertainment was all top notch. He had to remember to post an excellent review on Yelp later…

It was getting close to 11 when their waiter came around to let them know that the restaurant was closing soon, and it was around 12 when they finally left, a carrot cake and slice of blueberry pie for the go. Miss Notting was nowhere to be found, but they didn't really care, as they headed back to their room regardless, their conversation filling the halls of the hotel with laughter and a refreshing pleasantness that had been absent previously. When they got back to the room, Nick opened the door, letting her go first, watching her bounce in the subtle sway in her hips tantalizing.

Happy to be alone, the two walked into their room, silently noting to themselves that the cameras were in deed removed. At that point, the two of them were hit with the full force of the tension that had slowly been building over the past 8 hours, and stopped in their tracks, Nick letting the door close by itself. They stood there, their hearts pounding in their chests, unable to take their eyes off each other.

Judy had expected the odd tension. Between the emotions raging just beneath the surface from their kiss in the morning to the lack of time alone, she knew that the moment they were back here, this would happen. But at the same time, she didn't really care. She could feel the intense desire she had boil up to the surface, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep herself at bay too long.

Nick was, for the first time in dealing with his romantic feelings for the little bunny, unnerved. He had been insistent with himself, ever since the day he walked out of that press conference, that if he ever got to see the rabbit again, he wouldn't let his past get the better of him again. But now, standing with her scent filling his nose, the view of her in such a novel outfit for her, and having broken the glass sealing already, he could feel the creeping sensation of painful memories in the back of his head, and knew that if something didn't happen fast, he would do something completely idiotic, just like his overreaction at the press conference.

Luckily, something fast did happen. Almost at his thought of him doing something stupid, Judy burst into action. The gray bullet darted across the room, jumped into his arms, wrapped her own around his neck, and pulled him into a deep, frantic kiss. Thankful, he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and they stumble to the bed. Letting her passion dictate her actions, Judy pulled off his jacket and started to unbutton his shirt. Before she could, he grabbed the skirt of her dress and lifted it over her head, leaving her in just her bra and undershorts. It wasn't until she had pulled off Nick's shirt did alarm bells start ringing in her head. Pushing him back just enough, she was able to gasp, trying to slow things down.

"Nick, wait-herm-... Nick… stop." She breathed as his lips and muzzle found themselves creeping down her neck, getting a contradictory purr from her. He stopped however, pulling back just an inch, catching his own breath.

"Nick… I know, this might not, be the best time… but, what are we?" She asked, her eyes desperately searching for his. The fox seemed to quiver at the question, and he backed up further, bringing his eyes to hers. He spoke slowly, his words heavy, almost laboured.

"Judy, I need you to hear me on this." His seriousness caught her off guard, not expecting it. Then she noticed the tears building in his eyes, and got concerned. However his next words put her fears to rest quite quickly.

"I love you, Judith Hopps. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone, more than I ever have. I want to be with you, from now until always." Not needing to reply, she brought him back, her lips meeting his, and the embraced again, this time less frantically, but all the more potently. Their kiss stopped though, as they began to explore each other, and coated one another with other's scent, marking themselves as being taken, from now until always.

* * *

The next day Judy woke up completely surrounded by her fox. She had used one of his arms as a pillow, and he had wrapped his tail around her back. Curled up against his chest like she was, so comfortable and cozy, drowning in his scent, she couldn't help but feel the extreme joy build up in her chest. She thought back over the previous night, and just how exquisite it was. After Nick had confessed to her, they had skipped over sex, which sort of relieved her. Despite how perfect it all was, she had a feeling that last night wasn't the right night for that, and was glad they didn't. However, what they had done had a lot more repercussions, and was far, far more important.

They had marked each other, and marked each other well. The old tradition was one that generally no one paid any mind to, but it meant their relationship couldn't be hidden, even if they wanted to. Which, Judy knew she didn't. Feeling so comfortable, Judy couldn't help but trail he paws through Nick's exposed, red fur, the soft bristles comforting her paws. The moment anyone caught a whiff of either of them they would know exactly what happened, and she could feel the excitement at the thought. Intent on just being so close to him though, she snuggled up just a little closer, settling in for a nap. However, her phone had other ideas. Just as she closed her eyes, the loud ringing interrupted the silence, causing both of the mammals to flick their ears in the direction of the pestering little device.

"Uuuuggggghhhh… doesn't your phone know when to just shut up? It really does have no sense of timing." Nick groaned out a joke, making it known that he was awake, getting half a giggle from the bunny as she got up to check it, secretly fearing that it could be from her parents. However, her worries abated as she saw the insane looking picture of her favourite honey badger.

"Hey Honey, what's u-" She started, hoping to keep the call casual for a second. The badger wasn't having it though, the ruckus in the background indicating her frustration.

"Like hell! You two are nice and comfy in a room right? Yes, good. Okay. Tonight that fox of yours is going to have to find a breaker in the basement. You guys brought the HAB, right? Good. he'll have to plug it into one of the breakers. The team is set to go at 3 today. Juniper and I are going to plan the finishing details on this, but most likely he and I will go in the front door to assist you and Nick while the rest of the team goes through to secure the building. We have to make sure to go through quickly to catch Vartini off guard, got it? DO. NOT. LEAVE. THE BUILDING." _Click_. The one-sided conversation was typical of the badger's eccentric and overly-excited attitude making taking even Judy a second to register. Once she put together what the badger said, she looked at Nick, knowing their perfect little get-away was coming to just as sudden of a close as it had started.

"Hey, you up to doing some snooping later?"

* * *

The bitch black furred fox looked down at the phone again. He had refused to call Savage the previous day, knowing that he would get a very angry wolf on the other end, and he wasn't going to bother with that mess. However, with the night passed, he knew the situation was much malleable. Clicking in the number, his empty eyes hid the numerous calculations his mind was making on how the conversation would go. It didn't even ring once before his 'employer' answered, a deadly silence the only thing coming in clear over the line. When the crime lord started, his calm voice did nothing to hide the insidious intentions underneath it.

"Pawtorias left the city, and you failed to tell me. Why?" His question was expected, but Eleazar still hadn't figured out how to answer it. He met it with nothing but silence, waiting for his boss to continue.

"I thought you were buying me time, but it seems that you were doing nothing of the sort. So, if you aren't going to explain that you wanted more time in the city, then skip the step and explain why you wanted more time." This time his order was undeniable, and the black fox was forced to speak up.

"We were pre-occupied with a… personal matter, sir. I figured you were aware that the wolf left the city, and so we kept our attention on his acquaintances. They've provided us with more than enough to fill our time. Besides, Vartini has also been-" His self-defense was cut short, the grey wolf not caring and not having it.

"Vartini has outlasted his usefulness, and as such I won't be wasting anymore of my resources on him. He has a shipment of exotic supplies and workers coming in later today. I've instructed the helicopter pilot to bring you and your sister to me. Oh, and Eleazar? You and Lucia have left too many loose ends in that resort. Tie them, all and well." Arkous hung up, not caring to hear the nonexistent resistance. Eleazar knew exactly what he had been asked to do. Looking around, he checked the surrounding halls for witnesses before heading to the kitchen. _It's been awhile since I've leveled a building. Should be interesting doing again. A grease fire should be easy enough…_

* * *

 **First things first. Thanks to Cimar for the reviews. It really does help.**

 **Secondly, I'm sorry for the wait. Between over 24 pages in essays and two finals with two more still to do, my anniversary, holiday shopping, personal illness and problems, and distractions (mainly Hamilton. Has anyone been able to double task while listening to that soundtrack?), I'm surprised I've been able to write this much.**

 **Also, due to the advice of a friend of mine, I've kept this part focused on the lead up. Otherwise it would've been over 7000 words, and that left he and I a little, uncomfortable? I don't know.**

 **Anyhow, please read and review. Leave any comments on how you think the story is going, or if you think it should go one way or another. I'm still torn on how supernatural I should make the end.**


	15. Chapter 12 part 3

"WHY IS TIME MOVING SO _SLOWLY_! This is ridiculous!" The badger shouted, her eyes having never left the clock in front of her. Had Jacob not requested to silenced SWAT van for their mission, he was sure someone on the outside would've heard her yelling her impatience. The other officers and the few SWAT members in the van kept going over their gear or other busy work, just trying to keep from getting too bored. Juniper remembered when he was on the SWAT team, and how boring it could actually get, waiting for action time. But that was a long time ago, and now the 8 law enforcement officers were on the edge of the second biggest crime bust of the decade, the first being the Night Howler case just a few weeks prior. But the gravity of the situation seemed to be lost on their CO, who seemed content in acting like a child, getting an eye roll from her second in command.

"Honey, you know what they say, a watched pot never boils." He snipped at her as he continued counting the darts in the room. The whole squad had been equipped with tranquilizer guns and lethal firearms, just in case. However, due to the high risk of hitting a civilian, Honeylemon had ordered the lethal rounds be saved as a last resort, causing everyone to take as many tranq rounds as possible. She not only wanted a zero civilian count, she wanted Vartini and his men taken alive, and no one was risking the life of one of the valuable heads on a stray shot. The terrifying concept of having to deal with her in the aftermath had two reasons behind it; not only was she pretty close to bulletproof, none of her COs were actually will to discipline her over something like a wounded comrade if she had good reason, and this would definitely be good enough reason for a broken bone or two.

"UGH. This. SUCKS. Juniper, speed up the time!" Her ridiculousness got a cackle from the hyenas, that had taken to playing cards. In response he sighed, and glanced at the clock. 30 minutes until they got to go in. He looked back down at the pouting face of his 'superior', and tried to figure out the best way to get her to shut up, knowing he couldn't really do anything to speed up time for her. However, he could give everyone else a laugh. Leaning over, he licked his partner's face, his kitty kiss leaving her in a stunned silence, and getting some laughs and oohs from the rest of the force. Her brief moment of confusion left her face, and her frantic reaction garnered a much heartier round of laughs from everyone than last his initial reaction.

"Blegh! What the hell was that for? I could report you for sexual harassment!" She shouted, her embarrassment fueling her irritable growl. He simply shrugged at her annoyance, not really caring about the empty threat. He went back to cleaning his gun, keeping his aloof facade.

"Yeah, but you won't. You'll storm off muttering, wash your face, come back pissed, and then get all yippy because a couple minutes passed." His response got a chuckle from the group, and her frustrated huff as she stalked off to clean her face confirmed his guess. Only 27 minutes left…

* * *

The piercing green eyes of a hidden fox cut through the inky darkness. Had a natural prey animal like Judy been around, it would've undoubtedly been terrifying, however, none were. Nick was completely alone, simply waiting out the time. Judy had decided that it would be better if she stayed in their room, just to make sure no one got suspicious if Ms. Notting found they were gone for no reason. And while he didn't mind being alone, he didn't really like it with the recent events. There was no way he wasn't going to be able to think about her, and now that they were 24 minutes from the most dangerous situation he could possibly think of, he was even more worried, as he wasn't sure if he would be able to find her in the chaos, and god help anyone that dares to touch his bunny.

Taking the device out of his pocket, he went over the controls again, looking for a distraction. He twisted some of the nobs, watching the liquid crystal display change the level of voltage, amperage, or wattage output. He didn't really understand it, but he was beginning to understand the basics of the physics and math involved when it hit him. A scent. A very distinct, familiar odor, lying deep beneath heavy cleaning solutions and the grease and grime of the basement.

The cool, minty pine needles hit him hard, despite the tiniest whiff. He quickly glanced around, trying to catch the scent again, to no avail. Forgetting all about staying hidden, he moved from his hiding spot, and walked further into the basement, desperate to figure out why that scent was here. After stumbling on an electronically locked door, he found it. The smell was emanating from the other side, the smallest of whispers every now and then, but still undeniable. Looking down at his watch, he knew he could possibly get the door open and investigate further in just 3 minutes, but the deep seeded desire to find out what lay on the other side was almost overwhelming. After a minute passed, he steeled his resolve, and went back to the breaker outlet. With just a minute 'til 3, he plugged in the device, and pressed the button. A thirty second timer started, and Nick backed up, remembering the warning of large arcing sparks.

"And then he said ' _Let there be light_ '," Nick whispered to himself as the HAB activated, the flashes of electricity lighting up the room better than any lightbulb could hope to do, causing the fox to try to cover his eyes. When it finally stopped, he heard the silence that came with the power outage, but then heard something else as well. A slight squeak. He turned around to find the door had opened, the powersurge busting it's lock and a small gust of air pushing it open slightly, letting in the scent he had tried so long to forget. Without pause, he pulled out his pistol and headed towards the door, silently hoping too many things at the same time before settling on the one that mattered most to him. _Don't get hurt Carrots…_

* * *

Judy hadn't expected the flare up from the lights, or for the TV volume to spike so suddenly. But once the clock hit 3, it seemed like everything pulled in went haywire, before dying after just a few seconds of insanity. The silence that followed was unnerving, but it was quickly interrupted by the clamoring of next door guests, and the sound of runners in the hall. Judy waited a bit, getting her vest on and grabbing her tranquilizer, before heading out the door, hoping to calm nerves and reassure guests before any real danger erupted. Before she got out the door though, Honey came over her radio, her giddy voice clear as day.

" _Hopps, come in Hopps. Hal-looooo!"_

"Yes Honey?" Her irritable response was also clear, but it seemed that the badger wasn't really paying attention.

" _I know you're going to want to go on crowd control, but I have Juniper and the jokers on that detail. I need you to make your way up to the landing pad on top. It looks like a helicopter just landed, and another one is coming in quick. If Vartini gets there without law enforcement to stop him, he'll get away, and you're the closest officer."_

"Copy that. I'll head up there now." The rabbit responded, actually pleased that she got to do something far more useful than calm everyone down. Rushing out the door, she gave quick orders to the other patrons that had wandered out of their rooms to get back inside them, and then swiftly disappeared.

* * *

"Well, that's interesting." The large black fox looked up at the lights, now surrounded by darkness. He wasn't supposed to be in the general guest area, but seeing as soon there wouldn't be any guest rooms anyway, he shrugged off the order and decided to take the quickest route back up to the helipad. That's when the lights flared, he was blinded, and the everything went out. The silence that followed was deeper than before, a clear sign that the power had gone out.

He blinked twice, his sight coming back rather quickly. Shrugging at the turn of events, he continued his march to the landing pad from the first floor, getting to the stairwell uninhibited by the guests and patrons that poked their heads out of their doors. As he got to the second floor, he heard the light, quick footsteps of a small, fast moving mammal. Turning the corner, he saw the tiny gray bunny turning the the corner in front of him, skidding to a halt as she did so.

"Sir, I need you to- wait a second…" Her amethyst eyes scanning him, and then widened with recognition. She brandished her tranq pistol, realizing who was standing in front of her, as one thought ran through her head; _Oh shit…_

"Freeze! Put your paws up and surrender. You are under arrest." She shouted, her fear not even touching her voice, surprising her with her level composure. Eleazar just blinked, seemingly surprised. That's when something hit Judy: how poor her night vision was. Ot only could she not properly aim the weapon as she could barely make out the outline of the assassin, she also noticed that he kept glancing as something next to him. An employee only door, from the looks of it, the big yellow sign more clearly visible in the low light.

Eleazar looked from it to the bunny and back to the door, and then quickly flung the door open, ducking behind it.

"Shit!" Judy exclaimed, firing her dart uselessly at the wood and metal panel that he dashed behind. Running after him, she grabbed her radio, knowing she would back up.

"HEY. Juniper, Honeylemon, be alert, I am in pursuit of one of mine and Nick's targets! If you guys can assist I would be grateful, but the other one is in the building! Be on the lookout for a white canine, most likely an arctic fox! We're heading through the south employee hallway-HEY!" She hollered over the radio, hoping that the badger was close by. As she began describing their location, the two runners turned a corner, and suddenly there were windows, and Judy could see again. Down the hall was a door with a lock. Knowing she wouldn't be able to catch up in time, Judy took aim and fired, the dart flying through the air. The large canine side stepped out of the way, a little to apprehensive of the projectile, but it didn't matter, as Judy wasn't aiming for him. The dart slammed into the locking mechanism, jamming it shut. _Wow, nice shot. I'll have to brag about that later…_ she thought to herself, proud of stopping the assailant.

"Now, hands up. I would hate to put you down right now. My partner and I have a lot of questions, and you can't answer them if you're knocked out." She threatened, her paws steady despite her heavy breathing. Eleazar glanced over his shoulder, taking note of her distance and height. Then, in one quick, fluid move, spun and launched several throwing knives in her direction. Unlike any of his previous opponents, she expected so sort of defense like that, and was just fast enough to dodge them. However, one of the bladed weapons sunk deep into her tranq gun, knocking the now useless weapon out of her paw.

"Well, Judith Hopps, I assure you, you won't be getting them answered, and not because of the lack of consciousness, mind you." He said, his cool collected voice striking her in an odd way. _Nick was right, this is definitely 'oh shit'._

* * *

The helicopter was pretty quiet, despite the sound of the blades. With the doors closed, it was nicely sealed, giving more than enough insulation for the passengers to speak with each other. Just that no one did. It made little sense to do so. There weren't many people in the chopper, just Pawtorias, two other guards, and a cook. The raccoon cook seemed the most nervous, which was undoubtedly the case. However, as the pilot came in over the intercom, the other two guards began to get nervous as well.

" _Looks like there's something going on at the resort. We'll be landing in 10 minutes, but they seem to be having a power outage, and reports are coming in that there are intruders on site. We might be landing on a yellow so be advised."_ The pilot tuned them in, letting them know about the possible danger. Pawtorias didn't let the concern appear on his face. Whatever was going on had something to do with the assassins, and probably had Judy and Nick in the mess as well. He didn't really mind though. If they were nearby it meant that detaining the targets would only be easier, and he could use an easy day after everything.

* * *

"I was actually hoping I would get to meet you, Judith. I don't think my sister would have the heart right now, but I thought one of us should. If only to be respectful." He said, before taking a big whiff of the air. Whatever he smelled seemed to disappoint him, and he let out a sigh, before continuing.

"Now, we both know I'm far more skilled than you. Out of that same respect, I would prefer to not kill you, so please, run along now." His monotonous tone held no insult, no pretentiousness, no pompousness whatsoever. However, Judy chuckled at the implied challenge, and held firm.

"Yeah? I've taken down Rhinos too. Let's see what you got." She knelt down, getting in her boxing stance. Taking the invitation without hesitation, the black canine launched himself at her, another knife in his paw. However, he hadn't expected Judy to match in aggression. As she ran up to him, he tried to swing his knife across her face, but was to slow and too high, causing his arm to pass harmlessly over her head. She slide under his over extended reach, and now under him, sent her fully coiled feet into his gut lifting him off the ground and into the air, sending him flying and tumbling across the hallway. She quickly rolled to her feet, and picked up the knife he had dropped in her little counter.

"So, do you really think you're that much better than me?" She asked, a half cocky, half daring smirk on her face as she spun the knife in her hand. Grunting, he got up, and unsheathed two serrated blades from within his vest after smoothing out his coat. Despite his black fur being rustled, he looked… pleased, and let out a small laugh, which was surprisingly innocent in nature and intonation.

"HA-hahaha. Oh my dear Judith, I sincerely hope you can provide me a decent challenge now that you've whetted my appetite. Please, do not disappoint me." The genuine desire was clear, as he got into his own fighting stance, now interested in the conflict, partially dispelling her confidence as she sunk back into her's. From everything she and Nick could gleam, the assassin never really fought smaller mammals, which she was currently banking on. _I have to be smaller and faster than usual for this one…_ the thought and strategy was the only thing that would keep her alive if she made a mistake. Grappling was out of the question, and if she slowed down, she knew he would undoubtedly catch her. As she put all of this together, he came in for another swipe, just telegraphed enough for her to duck.

He wasn't going to give her time or space, so he followed it up with another swipe, which she just barely managed to sidestep. The combo had left his center open though, and she tried to send another kick his way, but the assassin's arm was already coming back from his first side swipe, blocking the rabbit's first. With a slight huff, he shoved his arm out, sending Judy sprawling back. Trying to take advantage, he attempted to rush her only for her to roll up, dodge his blades and letting him get in close enough for a swift kick to the face. Stunned, he stammered back, giving her sufficient time to get back onto her feet.

"Not used to fighting someone so small, huh? Not so easy, isn't it?" Her breathing was even heavier now, weighed down by the exertion of the fast fight and the adrenaline coursing through her veins. He wasn't anywhere as close to winded, but it was obvious that he was having second thoughts. He quickly glanced down to his wrist, and the watch there, and then the slight… joy that had been there vanished, his dour expression returning fully.

"Maybe I should've just killed that conmammal of yours first. Would've put out that little fire in your eyes, wouldn't it?" The inclination got the response he was looking for, as her entire face scrunched up in an extremely pissed off attitude.

"Although, I'm surprised that his not being here hasn't already subdued you. Where do you think the coward is?" He queried, turning to look back down the hallway. Pissed and seeing an opening, Judy ran at him. As she got in close, he whipped around, surprising her, the flash of his weapon blinding her. She was just able to bring up her own borrowed to in time to block it. The ring of the clash of steel on steel bounced off the walls, as Judy passed by the side stepping mammal, now disarmed. Spinning on her heel, she jumped at him, a combination of anger, adrenaline, and self frustration making her desperate. Eleazar chortled at the move, and in one blindingly fast motion, grabbed the rabbit out of the air by her throat, and slammed her against the wall, almost choking her and causing her to gag and cough.

"Hahaha… close, but no cigar, Judith Hopps. If you were more disciplined, you might've stood a chance. Definitely kept me on my toes. Too bad we don't have enough time for a more honourable match." He said as he held her up, ignoring her frantic clawing at his arm.

"What are you going to do now? Kill me?" She coughed out, before taking in a deep breath through her nose, and smelling something quite familiar. _Is that… mint? And pine needles? Why does this smell so familiar…_ The thought lingered for just a second, but quickly left when he spoke again, his heavy breathing showing just how much he was feigning his earlier composure.

"Of course not, Judith Hopps. I wouldn't dare. However, I must leave, and I can't have you following me, so-"

"FREEZE FUCKER!" the shout from their side caused them both to jump, as the honey badger fired two shots from her pistol, the lethal rounds barely missing them. Throwing Judy at Honeylemon, the black fox darted down the hallway towards the jammed door, before spinning to look back at the recovering officers, with the rabbit getting off of her unusual saviour.

"Ugh, you stink of Wilde. I knew you guys were gonna do it but man, you could've at least not made me hate hugging you." The badger grimaced at the scent, but Judy ignored her inappropriate antics as she got up, focusing on the killer in front of them.

"Honey, listen and listen well. This guy is dangerous and deadly. We have to be careful." She warned, before noticing the badger lifting her pistol again.

"I doubt he's much of a danger to us, being all the way over there and with us having the gun and all." She chuckled at having the upper hand. Judy laughed under her breath, but Eleazar wasn't at all worried.

"I'm sorry ladies, but I must bid you adieu, as it's time for my flight." He said quickly, before pulling out a trigger of some sort. Before either one of them could figure out what it did, he flicked open the switch and pressed the button, and the building shuddered.

* * *

The helicopter doors opened as it approached the landing site above the resort, and just in time for the fireworks. As Pawtorias stared at the building, the first floor exploded, a fireball roaring out of the restaurant's windows as they shattered, and several, smaller explosions rocked the upper floors. The cook fainted, falling back in his seat, while one of the other guards stared in fear and the remaining just looked on amazed. Even Pawtorias was surprised, and silently hoped there wouldn't be another addition to his list. _Goddamnit you guys, left you for one week…_

* * *

The air was thick with dust and things still falling around them. Judy and Honeylemon soon got to their feet, waiting for the air to clear. Something seemed different about their surroundings…

"Ahh, I'm glad you survived. Although, it was supposed to be a much larger explosion. I appreciate the entertainment, but as I said, I really must bid you goodbye. Farewell, and please do take care of Nicholas Wilde." The fox said, all of a sudden a story above them. It didn't take long for the two police officers to realize exactly what happened. He had set up explosives, and when they went off, the floor underneath them gave out, putting them a good 10 feet below him. Without another word, the fox walked off, busting open the jammed door as it had been shaken loose in the commotion, leaving them alone.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers! We can't let him escape like that!" the rabbit shouted, frustrated with the situation. Honey looked around, trying to find something to climb up. However, seeing nothing, she got on her radio, now thinking about her team.

"Hey, everyone check in. What the hell happened?" Her order was loud and clear. As the rest of the group checked in, the situation became clear; the canine had planted explosive on several levels meant to weaken the structural integrity, and set a large amount in the kitchens to start a grease fire that would turn the entire building into nothing but rubble.

" _From what I can tell, the charges were put about pretty quickly. I doubt whoever did this had the time to really check where they were placing everything. But that fire is spreading quickly. Evacuation has started and the fire department is already on its way."_ Juniper radioed in, his detailing of events satisfying Honeylemon. Judy hadn't really been paying attention, and was pacing to find a way up. They seemed trapped, and that simply wasn't acceptable to her. However, the badger, now focused on her current situation, was much quicker to come up with a practical idea.

"Run at me. I'll give you a lift. Between your legs, running start, and my lift we should be able to get you up there." Judy glanced around once more, and simply nodded, not bothering to argue the point. They managed it easily, almost surprisingly so. As Judy dusted herself off on the third floor, Honeylemon called up, catching her attention.

"JUDY. Take my little friend here! AND DON'T YOU DARE LOSE HIM!" The odd mammal tossed up her pistol, and the rabbit caught it, shooting her friend a quick smile and then dashing down the hallway, the words of encouragement dying behind her. She followed the still vivid scent of mint and pine and the footsteps in the settled dust. When she finally hit a set of stairs, she heard the helicopter blades and winds caused by them. The light from the setting sun painted an odd shadow on the wall at the top of the landing, the light coming in from the door at the top of the second flight. Not taking not of any of this, she ran up the stairs and turned the corner, and her heart dropped.

At the top of the second flight, the figures causing the odd shadow on the wall were two foxes, one a deep russet and the other, smaller one a pearly white. Their eyes were closed, as they shared a kiss and embrace.

* * *

 **Hey guys. Not what I wanted from this chapter, in either quantity of quality, but between writer's block and personal problems I'm surprised I got it out at all. When this sort of thing hits me while writing my other fanfic, it usually stalls for months to years... Anywho, please read and review. The next chapter should be out much quicker, but I have no idea how long it will be. It could be 3 pages, it could be 30.**

 **Also, thanks to Cimar of Turalis Wilde Hopps, ultamantman, and Archangel12575 for the reviews. I try to respond to every review, but I really want you guys to know that you're the reason I keep writing. Thanks a bunch.**


	16. Chapter 13

Pawtorias jumped out of the helicopter, his modified net gun at the ready, as the other guards dragged the cook off down the fire escape, he looked around. The havoc caused by the explosion was hard to overcome, and the sirens from oncoming emergency services only added to the air of chaos. To his right, another, larger helicopter sat, it's doors open as a large black fox boarded. It was all Sif could do but not blow his cover, knowing that things would turn sour if he engaged without backup, especially when he saw the small black bear and the rat in the vehicle with his canine target. Pawtorias moved swiftly to the rooftop access stairwell, hoping to head deeper into the building. He didn't even get halfway across the pad before she came into view; the other assassin. The arctic fox had a frustrated and worried look on her face, and in a quick moment of desperation, reached behind her and tugged on something. Or, well, someone. Bringing the russet fox up to her, she backed up against door frame and brought the surprised and reluctant detective in for a kiss, giving Pawtorias a moment of confusion, his quizzical expression plain on his face.

"LUCIA. GET OVER HERE ALREADY!" The agent turned to the black fox, who bore an obviously impatient and similarly worried expression. _So that's her name… this might be difficult._ The grey wolf put the pieces together, but before he could come up with a plan, she walked by him, moving towards the rising helicopter.

"You, stay here and make sure no one gets up here, got it?" She hissed, a tear running down her face and an expression of regret sprawled across it. In that moment, he dashed over to the stairwell door, only to find Nick laying on the bottom landing, a knife buried in his side, and Judy trying to keep him awake. _Son of a bitch…_ Pawtorias thought to himself as he spun around and raised his gun, taking aim at the jumping vixen, and firing. The net caught her mid air, and pulled her back down to the helipad. Before any of the occupants could react, he tossed aside the wasted net gun and pulled out one of his lethal firearms, and fired several shots. The black bear pushed the fox out of the way, and slammed the door closed as the copter took off, and sped away, leaving the white vixen curled up and sobbing on the concrete.

* * *

 **3 minutes ago**

Judy held back a gag, the feeling of betrayal and disgust hitting her like bricks, the sight replaying in her mind. _Her_ fox, kissing _that_ vixen. She couldn't get the view out of her head, his grimace as clear as day. _Wait… that's not right…_ just as she was clued in, she heard something over the sound of the helicopter blades. The violent thudding of a mammal falling down steps. The new sound broke her internal battle, and as she heard him land behind her, she turned, to see another horror; Nicholas Wilde, laying on the ground, bruised and barely conscious, with a knife buried right below his ribcage, his blood spreading out from the wound, soaking his shirt.

"NICK!" A combination of anger and terror washed over her, as she rushed to his side. The high pitched shout snapped him awake, for a moment at least.

"Carrots… they're getting away… you have to…" he muttered, trying to get out a thought. She ignored him, and immediately tried to bandage the wound, fighting the tears at the edges of her eyes. The footsteps behind her distracted her for a second, but when Juniper and Honeylemon rushed passed her, she put her attention back on Wilde, shouting into her radio.

"This is Detective Judith Hopps! Detective Wilde has been attacked and stabbed at the _Lady and Tramp_ resort! Medical assistance is required ASAP!" The affirmative response was urgent, and Judy could tell without making out the words that they were close.

Then the situation returned in focus. Judy looked back down the stairwell, and growled at the roaring fire that had consumed the lower floor. Just then she saw Jacob walking down the stairs.

"Come Judy! This whole building is falling apart. We have to go!" The leopard picked Nick up bridal style, careful to not touch the knife in his side, and dashed back up the stairs, Judy close on his tail. As the hurried down the fire escape, Judy saw Honeylemon and Pawtorias, who was carrying the white vixen over his shoulder. The building was surrounded by fire trucks, police cruisers, and media vans, all crowding around the evacuated guests or trying to control the flames and nonessential personnel on site. Pawtorias and Honeylemon reached the ground, the large grey wolf handed the vixen off to a couple of uniforms, who took her into a cruiser and off the premises, while paramedics eagerly waited Judy and Juniper, knowing the condition Nick was in.

"He has a knife in his left side, lower abdomen. The blade is in shallow, but it seems to be some sort of arrowhead shape. Getting it out will ba hard. Just try to slow the bleeding and don't remove it until you're back at the hospital, got it? Now hurry up, go go go!" The officer shouted at the medics as they carted Wilde off on the stretcher, heading to one of the ambulances nearby. Despite the clamour of the media and other survivors, the relative calm gave the Honey and Jacob a second to focus on Judy, who's blank expression and droopy ears unnerved them.

"Hey Judy, Nick's going to be okay, ya hear? He's probably taken a worse beating from you in the ring, so that should be nothing. In and out of the ER in no more than a day." Honey tried her best, but she had little effect on the rabbit's mood. She sat down on the curb, the light of the fire in front of her dancing and flickering, only helping her mind-numbing trance take hold.

The sounds of the turmoil around her weren't lost though. When Bogo arrived on scene, the media surrounded him, news crews desperate for a statement to make headlines. The questions were straightforward, the why's and how's being met with vague responses on general violence and culprits and impending investigations. However, one question echoed through her head, taking control of her thoughts.

"Chief Bogo! There were rumours that your two lead detectives, city heroes Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, were staying at the resort together for romantic reasons. Can you confirm or deny their relationship? And if it's true, could this attack have anything to do with it?" One reporter for ZNN called out, and almost on cue, Judy started to cry, the overwhelming exhaustion and storm of emotions finally spilling over. The display, caused the news teams to looked her way, and soon there was a stampede from Bogo to her, one that she was too tired and too weak and too burdened to get out avoid. However, she didn't have to. Appearing out of nowhere, the imposing figure of a large, stoic grey wolf loomed over her, standing in between her and the oncoming storm of journalists. Pawtorias scooped her up in a blanket, and stalked off to his car, as other officers fought to control the crowd, and Bogo shouted an answer about privacy for the men and women under his command. Judy didn't care though, as she resigned to curling up and falling asleep, just hoping she could at least trust the agent who's arms she was in.

* * *

Pawtorias drove into the large, rundown warehouse. He didn't exactly know how he knew where to go, but he had learned a long time ago to never distrust his instincts. And the reward for following them lead him straight to what was undoubtedly Nick's home. His and Judy's scent was clear as day, as well as his vehicle's. The odd decorations and contraptions meant to make life easier in the building screamed _Nick Wilde_ , so Sif felt safe getting comfortable. Or, at least getting Judy comfortable. Putting her in Nick's bed, and making sure she was warm, Pawtorias ran over the most likely series of events to occur in his absence.

From the smell of her, it was obvious that Judy and Nick had marked each other, as his scent was just as apparent on her as her own. They probably caught wind of where the targets were staying, and planned some sort of unconceived capture operation. However, the targets caught wind, and set the explosives to hide their escape. Nick and Judy, during the interim stay, finally broke through their almost grossly adorable _will-they won't-they_ relationship and took the leap. Afterwards, during the chase, Judy and Nick were right on the vixen's tail, so to stall, she kissed Nick, caught them both off guard, and stabbed him to buy some more time after she broke the embrace.

 _Seems logical. If I wasn't there, she would've been successful too. I'll have to make sure of the details though…_ He thought to himself as he got back into his car and backed out, looking for some food. _Tomorrow isn't going ot be a good day…_

* * *

Judy woke up to silence, Nick's scent, and a painful heartache. She opened her eyes carefully, unsure of where she was. When she realized she was back at Nick's house, she sat up, fighting the soreness in her neck and back and the fatigue in her eyes. The loud thudding footsteps at the doorway caught her attention and she looked over to the agent, his usually undecipherable face this time coloured with a tinge of worry.

"How are you feeling, Judy?" He asked, a personable side beginning to show.

"Empty. Tired. Sore. Pretty good considering everything." She responded, trying to collect herself. Pawtorias nodded slightly, understanding her.

"Wilde is in stable condition. He hasn't woken up since last night, but the hospital was told to inform us should any of that change. For now, I need you to get ready. We'll go out to grab some breakfast, but we really have to get to the precinct." He let her know, and in response she nodded and got up, not even bothering to ask questions in her current state.

* * *

The shower and fresh clothes and warm meal did her good, all of it combined revitalizing her. Not back to normal, just better than she was. As the two walked into the precinct the back way, they could feel the tension in the air, and Judy knew why. The interest, fear, and building hatred towards the lone detainee in the building was thick and universal, with not a single police official not sharing the feelings.

"Before we go to the holding room, Bogo asked if he could speak to you." Pawtorias spoke as he lead her to the Chief's office. She stepped in, with Pawtorias waiting outside. Bogo didn't waste anytime getting to the point.

"Well Hopps, you never cease to give me a headache. Despite your skills, you seems to have a knack for getting the media's attention. To get it out of the way, are you and Wilde in a relationship? I want the honest answer, and believe me, I'll know if it isn't." Bogo said, a quick sniff indicated he could smell the marking. At this Judy sighed, not really knowing how to answer.

"I don't know, sir. Things came up during the events last night, and I have to talk to him before I could possibly hope to answer that." She explained the best way she could. Sighing at the lack of information, he resigned himself to the answer, before continuing the conversation.

"Very well. Now the more important point. Last night, Mayor Bridgebord and I decided that should something go wrong, the details of your case would be kept secret. I came up with a cover story, and you should know it before you encounter anyone in the press." He explained, passing the official statement to Judy, the seriousness portrayed on his face prompting Judy to start reading. He explained as she did, his brief summary making sense.

"The department officially was unaware why you and detective Wilde were at the resort, but as you were on vacation time it doesn't really matter to us. The current investigation shows that the Vartini family was being harassed, and this time the harassment went too far. In the midst of the explosions, you found and attempted to apprehend two known criminals. The struggle left Wilde injured. Now, you have a perp to interrogate, and I have paperwork to do." Bogo said as he went back to it, getting Judy to pick up the paper and walk out, skimming over it quickly then folding it up and shoving it in her pocket.

Back outside, Pawtorias looked her up and down, making sure she was alright, and turned without a word, heading to the interrogation rooms, with Judy following closely behind. When they got their, something unnerved her. The white vixen seemed perfectly content in her room, almost aloof. Cutting into her thoughts, Pawtorias identified her, eliciting a gasp of shock from the bunny.

"Lucia A. Fauxfang, 33 years old, daughter of Xalas Fauxfang. The other fox is her brother, Eleazar V. Fauxfang, 35 years old. It turns out that they weren't dead, just kidnapped. Arkous was behind both their disappearance and the death of their father. He undoubtedly wanted them for leverage, and afterwards, for their skills." The agent's exposition brought up more questions, and so he continued before she could bother asking them.

"The Fauxfang family was very skilled, with a highly regimented training program starting from very young. Nearly every single member was a world class swordsmammal, and their intellect was uncanny. Lucia here won three different world championships for her martial arts skills, and all before she turned 11, the year she was kidnapped. And while Eleazar never entered into competitions, it was well known that he underwent the same training that she did." He explained, getting an appreciative nod from the bunny. She still had one more question, one that was made all the more important by the scent of pine needles and mint, emanating from the room.

"Were there any other skills they were known for?" Pawtorias thought for a second, and his answer confirmed Judy's already solid belief of the connections.

"Yes. Lord Xalas and his children were well known for playing piano, ad were exceptionally good at it. Why?"

"No reason. Let's go."

* * *

" _C'mon Nikki! Surely you can do better than that!" Lucia called out, her playful tease got a smile and laugh from Nick, who chased after the running vixen. Closely behind them Eleazar jogged to keep up, an exasperated expression on his face._

Nick knew the scene well, as he had been the subject of his night-terrors for decades. He watched, heart broken as the group of kits turned the wrong corner at the wrong time. This time, though, something changed. It all stopped, and he woke up from the nightmare.

* * *

"Ahh, well hallo there sexy." Lucia greeted Pawtorias as he stepped through the door, her nonchalance irritating them. He kept silent though, waiting for Judy to close the door behind them.

"Oh and if it isn't the Zootopian hero herself. To what do I owe the pleasure?" She queried of the rabbit, who gave her nothing but a deadly stare and cold shoulder. The fox feigned fear and sadness at her response, but cheered up when Pawtorias began asking question.

"Lucia Audhry Fauxfang, you are charged with several counts of murder, attempted murder, large scale destruction, vandalism, theft, assault, and numerous other crimes. You are aware of your current status, correct?" The sterile voice held a composure that Judy wasn't sure she could match, was was impressed that he had managed it.

"Yes, and before you ask, no I don't want a lawyer. That would just get you both irritated and I don't really like playing with sour apples." She quipped, nothing having an effect on her.

"Very well then. So you'll cooperate?" The agent kept his tone even.

"Hahaha. Of course not." Her response was expected, but still managed to visible irritate the wolf.

"I hope you do realize that I have the authority to kill you right here and now should you prove useless to me or my investigation." He dropped, causing Judy to stare up at him, caught completely blindsided, the threat severely unnerving her. It had little effect on the vixen though, who chuckled at his declaration.

"Well, that's the closest I've been to intimidated since getting here. Finally putting on big boy pants, are we?" Lucia's playful response finally pissed Pawtorias enough for a snarl to break his demeanor.

"You think you're being cute?" He hissed, his irritation obvious now. Her response reminded Judy of an R rated Nick.

"Bitch I'm adorable." Her smirk and half lidded expression shouted similarities between the two foxes, and just then, Pawtorias's composure returned, and a slyness came over him, as he wordlessly left the room, leaving the two females alone.

"Odd one that fellow is. So how are you doing, Jude?" She switched her attention to the rabbit, who quickly regained cold expression, getting a fake sadness from Lucia.

"Oh c'mon! Talk to meee. Are you angry my brother interrupted your weekend? Is that it? Is it that I hurt Nikki? Look, I'm really sorry for all of that, but I would really like to be your friend. I'm dead serious! Ope, bad choice of words. Let me rephrase. I'm completely… sincere. Yes!" She spoke, a hint of anxiety and nervousness mixed in with her playful comportment. Something about her seemed… genuine though, despite everything that was going on. So Judy finally got into the interrogator's seat, and asked a question.

"Why did he kiss you?" She put it bluntly, getting an 'oh' from the vixen, who quickly responded with a sheepish look and embarrassment.

"Hehehe… I wish he kissed me. No dear, I kissed him. Big difference." She half-answered, getting a scowl from the bunny.

"What's the diffe-" She began her next question, only to be cut off as Lucia's lips met her's. Startled, Judy jumped back, almost tipping the chair over. As she broke contact, she spat, and tried to wipe the memory from her mouth with her sleeve, getting a giggle from the delighted fox.

"That's the difference sweetheart." She declared, her happy little smile frustrating Judy to no end.

"If that's the difference then why didn't Nick jump back like I did?" Judy shot at the vixen, now getting really pissed off.

"Well three things; it's hard to jump around when you have a knife in your side. 2, if you hadn't broken contact so soon you would've found out how good of a kisser I am. And the big C, Nikki and I sort of have a history. You and I don't." The reply made sense, and lead to what Judy really wanted to talk about.

"What history is there between you and he?" She asked, desperate for any sort of confirmation. Confirmation that she wasn't about to get.

"Oh c'mon Judy. If you can't figure it out by now then you're either nowhere near as smart as you are, which, I mean, come on, you are that smart, or you don't have all the facts, in which case you might want to talk to him first." She pointed at the door, and the grey wolf standing in it.

"Let's go Judy. We have someone more important to talk to now." An urgency in his voice piqued Judy's curiosity, and Pawtorias was more than willing to elaborate, the answer terrifying her.

"Nick's doctor just called. His condition has digressed, and they've moved him back to Urgent Care. We have to go." He said, the stress in his voice undeniable. At the statement, Judy ran out the door, and Lucia couldn't help but emit an audible whimper, her ears flattening against the back of her head, the worry obvious. _Check-mate_ , Sif thought to himself, the pun bringing a smile to his face as he ran after the bunny.

* * *

"So he's fine?" Judy asked as they drove to the hospital.

"Yes. He's being released today. 5 minutes ago actually. We're just going to pick him up. Sorry to frighten you. I had to test something, and I don't know how good of an actor you are." He elaborated as they pulled into the hospital parking lot. The drive was quick, and the agent had to wait for her worry-induced tirade to pass before he could hope to explain. Now he waited for the inevitable question.

"What did you have to test?" Judy's innocence broke through, and Pawtorias looked over at her as he got out of the car, having nabbed the perfect parking space.

"Her reaction. If she didn't care about Wilde, she would've killed him. The fact that his wound is so superficial made me think she was attached, and from her reaction in the interrogation room, I would say she really is. If we're going to crack her, then Nick has to be there." He filled her in as they walked into the patient center, flashing badges to the guards as the walked passed them.

"Sir, I don't think that's wise. If she's attached to Nick, it would be safe to assume that he's attached to her, and in the midst of all of this, he could really be going through he-" she stopped herself as they turned a corner, coming face to face with the russet fox. As he realized who he was facing, Nick's expression turned sour.

"Ahh, hallo Mr. Wilde. How are you feeling-" The wolf's question was cut off and answered with a swift punch in the gut, the very angry vulpine sending his much larger superior doubling over.

* * *

 **Hallo guys. I told you it would be up quick. Next chapter is going to answer a shit ton of question, loads of backstory, and an extended flash back. Also Pawtorias gets punched in the gut again. Please read and review, as reviews really do help. Thanks.**

 **PS, I'm still taking in opinions on how the ending should go, whether it should be more supernatural or not, so please speak up if you have a preference.**


	17. Chapter 14 part 1

His fresh set of clothes reminded the fox of the days before his policing days. The Pawaiian shirt, khaki pants, and tie felt like a much needed armor, a way to hide underneath his mantra until he could hide for real. He was slightly surprised that he was being released so soon, but when he learned how shallow and small the stab was, it became obvious that their bigger concern was his trip down a flight of stairs. The bandages were slightly difficult to move with, and stretching tugged at the stitches, but for the most part, he was fine. Until he walked out of his room and walked down the hallway. When he came face to face with Pawtorias, something snapped. _Don't let them see, don't let them see that they- OH FUCK THIS GUY!_ Nick couldn't even hear what the wolf was saying over the screaming in his head. As his mental voice shouted, he mustered all of the strength he could and sent his curled up fist into the agent's gut, causing the larger mammal to double over, his face contorted in pain.

"Uhhh… okay, I might've deserved that one." Sif groaned, his arms wrapped around his stomach, a few hacking coughs following his lone statement. Nick wasn't having it. Blinded by rage, he shouted at the mammal right there, causing several patients and doctors from nearby rooms to poke their heads out and stare on at the commotion.

"YOU FUCKING KNEW! You knew who they were! You knew they weren't dead! YOU _KNEW_ , and you didn't tell us! You probably even knew who I was, _**didn't you**_? FUCK YOU." Nick growled, his fur stiffening in anger, and his eyes filling with tears as he went over the revelation again and again and again. Unable to hide them anymore, he sidestepped the grey wolf with a malicious hiss escaping his tongue, and darted down the hallway, sprinting out of the room. He didn't even notice the grey rabbit that stood there in a stunned silence, not knowing what to do.

* * *

Judy watched Nick running down the hall, paralyzed by his outburst. She noticed the tear drops following his path, and for a second thought of following after him, but then Pawtorias's groan of pain as he tried to straighten up brought her back to herself.

"Are you alright? I've never seen him lash out like that." She commented. Trying to support her larger friend the best she could. Another coughing fit later, it seemed as though he fully recovered, massaging his stomach slightly.

"I'm not surprised he did. Impressed that he can throw that kind of punch, but still not surprised at the anger. If I was in his situation I would've been just as angry, if not more so." Pawtorias finally spoke up, cuing Judy in on his thoughts, and some answers to Nick's accusations.

"So you know? You can explain all of this?" She questioned, an attitude coming to her voice, hating to be left out in the cold on everything. Sif simply raised an eyebrow at her, getting her to rethink the tone and quiet down a bit. He sighed a breath of resignation, and began to walk after the vulpine, the bunny right at his side, still looking up at him expectantly.

"I'll tell you everything I know once we get back to Wilde's place. I would prefer to keep this out of public ears." He said as they continued to pass the other guests and hospital workers who kept glancing at the two, as if expecting another uproar or some apology and explanation.

* * *

Judy sat staring at the wolf, who in turn stood over the large wooden chest in Nick's bedroom. He had promised her answers, and she fully expected them. However, the wolf had clammed up the moment they got back to Nick's home, his mind deep in thought. It was sometime before he finally moved again, and turned to her, his usually cold ice blue eyes filled with an almost regretful understanding.

"Where should I begin?" He asked, his voice filled with more emotions than she had ever heard, which wasn't exactly a high bar, but still got her to let down her guard. She cleared her throat, and answered, finally happy that her curiosity was being sated.

"I want to know first if you knew. Then I want to know how Nick knows them." She demanded, allowing the subtle undertones be demanding as well. Nodding his head, Pawtorias agreed.

"To start with, I had my guesses. I suspected it from time to time, but I was never sure. When they began to show up on case files, it had been years, almost a decade since the tragedy. Their almost exclusive use of blades caught my attention, and when they were identified as canines by Mr. Savage earlier this year, I thought it was possible, but I never really gave that possibility any credence. I never had enough evidence, so their identities remained officially undetermined.

"As for your second question, I know only surface details. Around four years before Lucia and Eleazar vanished and the Fauxfang mansion burned down, another fox kit was nearly always seen with Lord Fauxfang; around the same age as Lucia and Eleazar, he would accompany the family to all of their public events, whether it be Lucia's and Eleazar's piano concerts, the various plays Lord Xalas had a habit of going to, or even grand openings. However, as Xalas was a silver fox mix, it was obvious that the red fox kit wasn't his son, or any blood relative, so the attention he got from media or press was nonexistent, with most people just assuming he was the son of a family friend, or a friend of Xalas's children. Which he was. The kit would turn out to be far more important than anyone realized however. When Lord Fauxfang died, it was revealed in his will that he left his fortune not to his children, but had decided years earlier that this fox was his sole heir. Upon contact with one of his former aides, it was confirmed to me that Nick was that fox kit." He explained, the information hitting Judy hard, as she realized that her best friend, mate, and partner was the heir to a legacy and fortune and she hadn't known any of it.

"Wait wait wait! What? Does Nick know? Who knows about this? Why did Fauxfang do that when he had his own children?" The questions came forward in a flood, just as quick as they came to Judy's mind. Closing his eyes, Pawtorias forced himself to remain unchanged in his mood, despite the conflicts of emotions Judy was bringing up. Sighing once again, he began to answer her, stemming the flow of inquiries.

"Nick undoubtedly knows. Me, current and past President-Chiefs, Reika and Krava Springslink, and Chief Bogo. However, asides from Nick, only myself and the Springslinks know who the will speaks of. I don't know why Lord Xalas decided Nick was a more appropriate heir, but it could've been any number of things, most of which are far more appropriate for Wilde to share with you than for I to try to explain." He spoke up, and before she could start up again, he raised his paw, collecting his thoughts to answer the next set of questions he expected to come up.

"Bogo knows because he was one of the officers that was in charge of finding him. The President Chiefs have to know because they have to be aware of the classified 'on-going' search for the heir to the last line of nobility. No, I do not know how Wilde met the family." He said, his eyes still shut. Judy took this in, quieting herself for a second, thinking about what she had just been told. _So that's how he knows how to play piano… I wonder if he knows how to fence as well… wait… four years plus 20… that would make him around 8…_ Without warning, Pawtorias began again, interrupting her thought process.

"With all likelihood, the only reason he left Lucia and Eleazar out of the will is because he expected Nick to and Lucia to mate. There were likely feelings and the beginning of such a relationship already there, and with foxes being how they are, I was surprised to find out they weren't already promised to each other." His comment confused her, and she gave him a quizzical look, one that he opened his eyes just in time to see.

"Foxes mate for life, like bunnies. But their commitment is on another level, one that I must say is probably more detrimental than sweet. You see, when a rabbit's mate dies, he or she will mourn for a bit, but eventually move on, and find a new mate. However, foxes are staunchly monogamous. If _their_ mate dies, often times they'll seek a short life afterwards, and their bodies will gladly give it to them. If they keep living though, they'll most likely never mate again. The few exceptions have all been females, who seem less biologically bound to this rule. However, it's still so incredibly rare that I would be very surprised if any couple in the city was in such a case." He told her, the explanation causing her to grow wide eyed at the how extreme the idea was. The implications that followed in her mind, and how they fit in Nick's very shielded attitude were quick to stampede into her head, only to be slowed by a detail that had skipped over.

"You said that you were surprised they weren't already promised to each other? How did you know that?" She asked, desperate for more of an insight, although, whether it was to better understand Nick or to assuage her own fears she didn't yet know.

"Well isn't it obvious? If a male fox only mates once in his entire life, how could he mark you if he had already marked someone else?" The obvious reasoning dawned on her, and she silently yet very obviously oh'ed, understanding breaking out into her eyes, as Nick's scent, now thoroughly mixed with her own, registered in her nose again, reminding her that they were, in fact, mates. The look got a chuckle from Pawtorias, who shook his head at her expression. After the few seconds of shared laughter at her denseness, they turned their attention to the large chest, having been the original reason they came to the room. Their curiosity was demanding, and now with Judy's questions out of the way, the big mystery box grabbed their full attention.

"So now where's the key?" Sif dropped the all important question.

"We need to find Nick." Judy's response caused his tail to bristle.

"I know where Nick is. Where's the key?" He asked again, getting an annoyed look from the bunny as she jumped up. He was about to share that annoyed look though, as she snatched his tail and dragged him out of the room, the agent fighting every shred of pain and surprise to keep from yelping.

"You jackass I thought we were here to wait for Nick but this whole time you knew where he was?" She shouted, a rare curse word escaping her mouth. When they got back down stairs, she released him, thumping her foot with an impatient glare, commanding an explanation. Gently massaging his tail, he acquiesced, answering her unasked question.

"I thought he needed some alone time. I knew he would come back in his own time. Besides, whatever is in that box is important." Her thumping continued, and the agent soon realized he answered the wrong question.

"Where do you think he is? His childhood friend, a girl whom he thought dead, was undoubtedly in love with, and has spent the past two decades trying to forget turns up as an assassin and stabs him in the stomach. Oh, and did I forget to mention her childhood home, one that was practically his home for four years as well, is right down the street?" Sif divulged where Nick was in an almost condescending way, but Judy didn't care. As soon as she figured it out she ran towards the exit, with Pawtorias calling after her.

"Now where's the key?"

"Nick has it!" And those three words got the wolf to run after her as well.

* * *

Nick gulped, and staring at the blackened ruins of the old manor. The charred wreckage of the Fauxfang mansion had been practically perfectly preserved, left by the community as a shrine to the family and forgotten by the rest of the city almost entirely, despite how important and popular the area had once been. In one night the economy and culture of Vixshire was devastated, and the entirety of the city change seemingly irreversibly. It had been over 20 years since Nick last laid eyes on the courtyard, and just as long since he dared to come anywhere near the building.

Times had changed though. Despite the the intense desire to run and hide, he stood firm, controlled his shivering, and forced himself to take a step forward. And another. And another. And soon, he was walking through the door. Or, well, where the grand entrance used to be. As he walked through what was once a beautiful entry hall, he surveyed the destruction, and remembered what once was. Instead of the ruined wood poles and soot encrusted collapsed columns, he saw the white pillars and milky beige walls. The flattened wisps of paper on the ground disappeared, revealing the brilliant tile artistry that with all likelihood still laid underneath. The glass shards formed the large, open windows once again, and the painting frames hung back on the walls of the home, displaying the various artworks of the many mammals who graciously received the Fauxfang patronage. When he finally got under the precarious shambles of the second floor, his night vision hit in, and he saw once magnificent grand chamber. The room was large and open, with the second and third floor open to it as well, giving the space an unseen but very much felt depth. The two rounded stair cases in front of him framed the room, giving more than enough space around what used to be a grand piano for dances or general mingling. In between them, against the back wall, was a large stone fireplace, which was now dusted and caked with grime.

The beauty and comfort of the scene washed over the lone russet fox as he took in the sight, and he closed his eyes and smiled, allowing himself to feel what he once had. But when he opened them up again, the lost marvel was gone, replaced by the destroyed and dilapidated rubble that was left. Surrounded by it, and for the first time truly feeling everything, Nicholas let go of the silent mantra he had been using to hide away from the pain, and fell to his knees, no longer able to contain the sobs and tears that had swelled up.

* * *

Sif and Judy walked up to the wreckage of what must have been a massive building, the ruins of the Fauxfang mansion seemingly untouched since that day over 20 years ago. Judy marveled at the sheer size of what was still left; the second and third floor were still standing, mostly intact, while the fourth was still recognizable. The fire had left the entire outside blackened and several sections had collapsed, but it was very apparent that in its prime, it was undoubtedly the largest building in the area. When the finally got to the threshold, two things hit the mammals: Nick's lingering scent and the muffled sounds of a crying mammal deeper in the building. For a second the little bunny didn't know how to proceed, but slowly she sighed and moved forward, he need to comfort her mate overcoming the overwhelming presence of the ancient home. When she got a couple of steps in, she realized Pawtorias wasn't following, and she turned to him, slightly curious.

"This is for you to do. Nick needs your comfort, and there are things he should tell you in the privacy and familiarity he feels here. I will wait for you two here. Now go on." He said, his voice carrying an aged wisdom, and lacing his usually cold and calculating nature, reassuring her. Without a second pause, she continued into the building, walking down the center of the large, open corridor until she got to the beginning to the second floor overhang. The darker depths were impossible for her eyes to pierce, but she wasn't about to stop, and simply pushed forward. Luckily for her, the hallway was rather straight, and pretty clear of debris. She followed the whimpering and quiet cries the emanated from further in, and soon came into a much larger, open antechamber, somehow still mostly intact. The larger room was illuminated through a large skylight in the top dome, giving her back her eyesight. Had she bothered to look around, she would've seen the remains of the former grandeur of the mansion, but only one thing caught her eye. The crying red fox that lay curled up in the center of the room.

Slowly, carefully, she walked over to Nick, a heartache forming from simply seeing him in this sort of state. The former hustler and carefree conmammal she had met so long ago lay on the floor, his tail wrapped around himself as he cried softly. When she reached him, she sat down next to him, and placed a paw on his shoulder. The touch calmed him, just a tad, and he reached up and grabbed her paw, as if desperate to keep her with him. As the whimpers subsided, he slowly sat up. She moved with him, and wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to comfort him. When all but his tears stopped, she finally built up the courage to speak, asking the question she knew needed to be answered, the answer Nick had to say.

"What is your story Nick?"

* * *

 **24 years ago…**

Nick sat outside the Junior Ranger Scouts building, the muzzle tossed aside, his quiet sobs dying away as he cuddled his own tail. He didn't know how long he had been there, but he couldn't convince himself to move. He knew he should force himself to get up, to run away, to go home, but couldn't get himself to. And that's when he heard the footsteps. Two, no, three people walking this way, just passed the the entrance stairs. He didn't care though. _Not like anyone would care about me, I'm just a stupid fox…_ he thought as he resigned himself to whatever humiliation was coming around the corner, the most pleasant of scents hit him, the cool peppermint and pine needles calming him down, silently comforting him enough for his cries to die down. Then, the three mammals stopped at the stairway, and one of them ran around.

"Daddy, look! I think this was the fox Mrs. Underhill wanted you to meet!" The voice of a young girl caught his attention, and finally got his face out of his paws and knees, and turned to face the girl. The petite white vixen was only an inch away from his face, causing him to jump back out of surprise, getting a quick giggle from the girl. She was wearing a white dress with a misty red ink drop swirl pattern, and a sort of light, loose fitting white overcoat or cloak over it. She had piercing red eyes and the moment she saw the tears in his green ones she stopped giggling, and immediately reached out for him.

"Oh no are you okay? What's wrong?" She toned down her voice, squatted down and scooted forward, a genuine worry in her eyes. Two more foxes walked up behind her; one, a large black kit with a deep blue button down shirt, black pants, and a black jacket. His blue eyes held an aloofness absent in any of the others, but still seemed to grow concerned, if faintly, at the sight of the teary eyed Junior Ranger. The adult was a silver and black vulpine, his amber eyes held an eccentric wisdom to them, his casual swagger very reminiscent of a certain hustler 23 years from now. The rough leather jacket and tailored suit underneath spoke volumes about the mammal's position, and something about the family made Nick feel unusually small. The oldest fox spoke up, a kind yet authoritative voice filling the air.

"Hallo there. What's your name, kit?" Nick gulped, trying to stifle the remaining whimpers that tried to escape his throat.

"N-Nicholas Wilde, sir." He couldn't help the small stutter. When the girl scooted forward again, Nick caught a heavy dose of her scent, and once again felt his nerves eased. Just then the black fox kit walked over to the muzzle Nick had tossed aside, inspecting it.

"Father, I think this might explain what happened." He handed the restraint to his parent, who glanced it over. With a quiet hiss, he shoved the item in his pocket, and after regaining his friendlier composure, walked over to the still worried red kit and extended a paw, helping him to his feet.

"Come, little Wilde. We'll take you home. You're safe with us." After dusting himself off, Nick looked at the three of them, feeling comfort in numbers, and asked with a glimmer of positivity;

"Okay. What's your name, mister?"

"My name is Xalas Fauxfang, and this is my daughter Lucia and my son Eleazar."

* * *

The four of them found their way back to Nicholas's house, Xalas surprisingly leading the way. When they got there, Mrs. Wilde was caught off guard by the company, not to mention who said company was, and why they were escorting her son back home from ranger Scouts so much earlier than expected.

"Hallo Mrs. Wilde. I'm Xalas Fauxfang. May I talk to you in private for a second?" The gentlemammal asked as she let them in, the three kits chattering to themselves about what they would do in increasingly obscure what ifs. The question caught Nick's attention though, and distracted him from their banter just as Eleazar and Lucia got into a one-sided argument over the anatomy of aliens.

"Oh, um, sure. Nick, why don't you take your new friends to your room, okay honey?" She smiled at him, sending him on his way. He lead them up the stairs slowly, hoping to catch their conversation. The adults waiting though, and he was in his room before they started. Frustrated, he turned to the other two kits, that were now inspecting his room.

"Wow, this is small compared to home." Lucia blurted out, the comment getting a scared and sad look from Nick, who began to worry about what they would think. Eleazar scolded her in quick time, though not really reassuring him.

"Lucia! That's incredibly rude." He scowled, but the little girl just looked around at the blue walls and scattered toys with wide eyes, and after a deep breath, she responded, her previous comment getting a new light to it.

"I don't see why. This is so much cozier than home. I like it!" She declared, getting a sheepish giggle from the russet fox, and an eye roll from her older brother. Turning away from his sister, Eleazar looked at Nick, his paws in his pockets, a look of empathy and disgust colouring his features.

"I'm really sorry, Nicholas. I can't believe a group of mammals would be so mean for no reason." He said, leaning up against Nick's bed. The mention brought the russet fox down a bit, but then Lucia spoke up, her back to them as she rummaged through his toy box.

"Screw 'em. Never let them see that they get to you. That way when everyone's watching they look like morons." Her nonchalance got a reproachful eye from the black vulpine, but Nick echoed the words in his head, words that would last a long time. It wasn't long after this that their father and his mother came up the stairs to fetch the kits, the Fauxfang family heading home.

"Come on. I have to get back soon, and I don't want to be up too late writing." He motioned them over, and with solemn faces, they scurried over to their father. Walking up behind them, Nick followed his mother to the door, seeing them out. After Lucia and Eleazar said their goodbyes, Xalas squated down, getting eye level with the kit.

"Well, I'm very pleased to have met you today, Mr. Wilde. I am terribly sorry things went so poorly at the ranger scouts. But, I have an offer to hopefully make up for it. How would you like to come over to our home, every day? Lucia and Eleazar could use the extra friend, and we'll have plenty of activities for you. You'll have to do the same things they do, but I'm sure you'll find it just as much fun as the Ranger Scouts." The fox's smile and offer elicited a similar expression to spring onto Nick's face, and he quickly looked up at his mother, waiting for her approval. She quickly nodded her head, chuckling at his excitement.

"Yes please!" He responded, eagerly jumping at the idea. His enthusiasm got Xalas to laugh, and the acception got Lucia just as excited as he was, and Eleazar grinned at the commotion he was surrounded by.

"Excellent. I'll be seeing you tomorrow after school then, okay? Your mother will pick you up and bring you over. Take care until then. Farewell, Mrs. Wilde, and goodnight." And with that, the three foxes left, leaving Nick in a sincerely happier place than he had been in a long time.

* * *

The next day, he hid through school like normal. Escaping bullies, classmates, or teacher attention. All he cared about was getting the day over with, and when the school bell rang, he dashed out of the classroom without a care about either the teacher or the curious students staring after him. He ran straight to the exit of the school, and when met with the sight of his patient mother in the parent pick up courtyard, broke out into a giddy laughter, so excited to get to hang out with friends.

"Well, don't you look excited?" His mother raised an eyebrow to him, watching his unusually enthusiastic demeanor dance across his face. He simply smiled at her, trying to regain the cocky composure he normally bore. They continued on their way without another word. As they got back to the borders of Vixshire, Nick felt a sudden pang of nervousness, and when they found their way onto Earwings Lane, another shot through him, yet he couldn't put his finger on what. It was only when they reached the grand square, with his mother leading them straight to the large mansion, that he realized why.

"Wait, they live there? That's **the** Fauxfang family? This family?" He asked, his exasperation getting many of the surrounding mammals to look over at him. Chuckling, Mrs. Wilde gave him a very recognizable half-lidded smirk as her only response, and then continued on her way across the plaza. When they finally got passed the fountain that sat in the middle of the plaza, Nick spoke up again, needing to voice his anxiety.

"Mom, I don't know if I should be here. I'm not nobility. I don't know how to talk to them. What if they end up not liking me?" He whispered to her, the kit looking as though he was trying to hide behind his mother as they walked up to the door. It was obvious from her silent laughs and amused face that she wasn't really going to answer him, and when they finally got to the door, she looked down at him with reassurance in her eyes. He gulped, but immediately put down his fears.

"Good." Her singular word further comforted him. When she knocked, a cheetah opened the door; dressed in a very formal black and grey-vested suit, the large cat looked down at the foxes, and for a second seemed irritated, before his face lit up as he realized who they must be.

"Ahh! You two must be the Wildes. Lieges are currently in a sparring session. Let me take you to them." He said with an eagerness. However, before he could start off, Mrs. Wilde interrupted him, speaking up.

"I'm sorry, but I must really get back to work." She said, and slowly took a step back, indicating she really had to leave. This seemed to disappoint the cheetah, and he gave her a moment to talk to Nick really quickly.

"Now Nikki, don't get nervous. Just be yourself and you'll be fine. These are good people, and I know you'll enjoy your time here. Have Lord Fauxfang call me if you need anything, he knows my work number. Take care and have fun. Lord Fauxfang will bring you back home by 8, okay? I love you." She said as she gave him a quick peck on the forehead, and after he reciprocated, hurried off.

"Hmm. How disappointing. Xalas was really hoping to talk to her a bit more." The cheetah said, watching her go for a second. He moved on though, And after leading the russet fox kit inside, introduced himself.

"I am Krava Springslink, Lord Xalas's top aide. He's most excited to have you here, and so are the children. They so rarely have anyone their own age around, and my liege gets so bored of the business men he's used to hosting. You're a nice and much needed change of pace for them." The cheetah explained as they walked down the entrance hall and Nick soaked in the elaborate decorations and plethora of paintings that hung on the walls. As the entered the main antechamber, Nick finally heard the quiet thuds from upstairs, as if someone was banging two pieces of wood together. Krava lead him up the curving steps over the large fireplace, and when they got to the second floor, showed him to a door that was slightly ajar, and opened it to reveal what was happening inside. What Nick saw stunned him. Inside was a large open space, and in the center Lucia and Eleazar were fighting, each armed with long wooden poles. Nick felt the urge to rush in and stop them, but then he heard a low shout, and looked around to see his host.

"Oh, come now Eleazar! You'll never improve if you don't really try. At this rate, Lucia will be able to floor you without a challenge!" The black and silver fox exclaimed just as Lucia struck at her older brother. The black vulpine blocked her staff with his own, and then danced aside, giving himself enough space to respond to his father. However, as he looked away from the white furred vixen, he spotted Nick, distracting himself for a second longer than he expected. In that moment, his sister spun her rod, slamming it into the side of his head, knocking him to the floor.

"OW! Would you stop? Nicholas has arrived." He barked at his younger sibling as she prepared another strike, rubbing the side of his head. The other two vulpines turned to the door, and grinned when they saw the russet fox hanging out by the door. Lucia's excitement showed instantly, as she dropped her staff and ran over to him. Xalas walked over to Eleazar for a quick check up, and after deeming him fine, he patted his son on the back and they followed Lucia's path, with albeit more composure.

"OH YAY. I was so afraid you wouldn't come then I wouldn't have anyone but Eleazar to talk to and he's _so_ **boring** but you're not and now that you're here I might actually have some fun I can't wait to show you our rooms and-" The vixen seemed unable to stop, , until Eleazar and Xalas walked up. Sighing, he older brother grabbed her muzzle, forcing her silence, with a small grin on his face, which only grew as she began to contort her face in anger over it. That's when their father spoke up, taking the attention.

"Yes, Mr. Wilde, we're very pleased to see you again. I'm glad you came. Would you like to see the rest of the house? Or are you hungry? We could grab something to eat before they continue their practice for the day." The older fox asked, before realizing that Nick was obviously slightly overwhelmed. Chortling to himself, he answered for him, thinking of the best way to keep the kit calm.

"Food first it would seem."

* * *

Nick and Lucia and Eleazar hadn't realized how hungry they were in all of the excitement. Once the chefs had whipped something up for them though, they couldn't think of anything but the food though. It was only after his first bowl did Nick turn his attention to his host family again. In between bites, he finally spoke up, asking a question that was on his mind.

"So are what were you guys practicing? I've only seen fights like that in movies." His question was an obvious one, and Lucia tried to answer it, her enthusiasm obvious, but a big bite of food in her mouth prevented her. Noticing this, Eleazar took advantage and answered for her, grinning at her frustration.

"Our family has been renowned for our martial arts skills for millennia. In fact, every single head of the family has been an award winning swordsmammal for as long as anyone can remember. And so we're keeping up the tradition." He said, sipping his water as he finished, ignoring the infuriated look on his sister's face.

"I wish i could fight like that. It seems so cool." Nick responded, kind of jealous. However, Lord fauxfang expected this, and spoke up before either Lucia or Eleazar could say anything.

"I don't see why you can't learn with them. My father started to teach me when I was older than you are now, and he thought I would be a rubbish swordsmammal." He said, prompting Nick to brighten up. Lucia's lighthearted attitude showed through in her follow up.

"But daddy, you are a rubbish swordsmammal." She commented, getting a snicker from Eleazar and laughing herself as her father's expression dropped, humorously overreacting. As her laughter slowly spread across the table, any lingering nervousness Nick felt was finally driven off.

* * *

 **Hey guys. This took _forever_ to write. I have no idea if it's any good, to be honest, and I felt so bad for not uploading before Christmas, so here's a late Christmas/Holiday present. If anyone would like to reciprocate, sharing this story would be a great New Years present, just saying ; ).**

 **Also, massive thanks to Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, 14, and Archangel12575 for reviewing and giving their inputs on the last chapter(s). It's always a big motivator to see.**

 **Anywho, the next chapter will continue the flashback, but I don't know how long it will be, so I don't know if the flashback will end in it or the one afterwards. Thanks for reading, please leave a review if you have any comments or questions (I won't spoil anything, but if you would like some clarification I'll gladly answer.)**


	18. Chapter 14 part 2

**2 years after the Junior Ranger Scouts Incident**

Nick's fingers fumbled over the piano keys, his attempt at a simplified _Once Upon a December_ going pretty abysmally. Lucia and Eleazar sat at a large circular table with their father behind him, discussing the reading he had assigned to the pair a couple of weeks earlier. When Nick first learned of their homeschooling, and how involved Lord Xalas was in their education, practically being their teacher in virtually every subject, the young kit was baffled. They were the richest family in the city, arguably on the planet, so in the beginning their lack of enrollment at a fancy private school or with a host of private tutors was beyond confusing. However, when he finally got a hold of one of their reading assignments after being left alone for a couple of hours, he quickly understood why. The young fox could barely understand the words in the book, and when he asked the household book-keeper, Mrs. Reika Springslink for some background information, he quickly found out why.

" _That particular piece is by Aristurtle. It's his musings on the workings of animal kind. It's over 3000 years old. Would you like some help reading it?"_ He called her cheery disposition at his flummoxed expression. The level of thought their father was trying to instill in them was beyond what most adults knew, let alone whatever any grade school for their age would dare try to teach them. He had almost refused her offer of aide at the time, but after sitting through their high minded lesson and stumped by their near constant use of vocabulary that went straight over his head, he sought her out again, and eagerly accepted any tutoring she could give.

That was almost a year ago, and with her help since, he had devoured nearly everything she handed to him. From Platopus to Aristurtle to even later thinkers such as Jean Jaguar Rousseau, he learned every lesson the manor's library had to offer, quickly catching up to and now on the border of passing the two heirs.

Which leads back to the current lesson. He sat listening to their in depth discussion of Vole-hare's thoughts on interspecies relations, both intimate and civil. And unlike a year ago, he reveled in his complete understanding of the topic, and tried ever so desperately to not interrupt their lesson with his own comments, trying to focus on his assignment, his fingers scrabbling across the keys quite non harmonically.

"You're missing the point. Vole-hare didn't just document these cases of interbreeding among the species. He had commentary, commentary that I said was important. Now what was his position on the topic?" Xalas asked now for the third time, trying to get the answer from his now exasperated children. Nick silently chuckled to himself, repeating the answer in his head as he missed yet another key. Lucia growled and spoke up, determined to answer his question so they could finally get through sparring practice and have some down time.

"Well he was obviously against them! A lot of his works would've been used to track down the couples and either persecute them or kill them. Any other commentary would've been irrelevant!" She shouted, her frustration now apparent. Xalas shook his head though, and Eleazar, far more tempered, backed her up.

"You can't say that isn't true, father. Vole-hare's travels would've been well documented, or at least recorded and known about by the upper echelons of society, the nobility and rich clergy he had been born into and hung around most of the time. Even if he had spoken out against such discrimination, he would've been a reason for its continuation." While more explanatory and possibly more true than Lucia's, their frustrated sighed and huffs let Nick know that Xalas still wasn't pleased with their answers. Just then he heard Eleazar grab his book, and Nick knew if he were to ever comment, now was the time. So he did.

"Eleazar, you just said that Vole-hare spent most of his time around the persecutors. Also, a lot of his anecdotes were of people he said he knew well. If all the people he knew well were rich, who do you think the anecdotes were about?" Nick spelled it out for them, not looking up from the piano keys, trying to look as cool and 'suave' in reality as he thought he did in his head. After a second of silence, Xalas snickered, and responded.

"Very good Nick. Could you please explain Vole-hare's message then?" The silver vulpine inquired, almost giddy. Nick turned to them, trying to hide the sheepish blush behind a veneer of cockiness.

"Sure. Vole-hare had a real knack for exposing hypocrisy, on both large and small levels. In his pamphlet _On_ Intimacy _Between Species_ , he looked at specific cases of interspecies relationships, some of which even lead to hybrid children. Each case is now believed to be between two dedicated opponents to such ideas. His point and position was that most of us are following others into self criminalization. This was to further compound his point from his earlier work, _On Relations Between Species_ , where he points out how high ranking 'apex' predators and 'prey' would demonize each others faction for more support from their own side, whilst forgetting that most animals are both prey and predators, leading to the majority of the population getting really no say whatsoever." Nick spoke clearly and directly, his analysis getting raised eyebrows from his friends and a widening grin from their father.

"Well spoken, Mr. Wilde. That is the point of his writings. Vole-hare was staunchly against discrimination, seeing it as counterproductive and harmful to equality in any part of the society. That is why he pointed out the hypocrisy, and why we can be reassured that he wasn't a bigot like his contemporaries." Xalas said, seemingly getting excited about the conversation. His excitement wasn't shared though, as Lucia sighed exasperatedly, and rolled her eyes.

"Who cares what he thought? He's dead and it's not like that sort of thing happens anymore." She exhaled, done with the conversation. However, Lord Fauxfang scowled, angered by the comment. With an agitated shove, he pushed his chair back, and stormed out the door, confusing the kits. When he slammed the door behind him, everyone flinched, and Lucia's ears pinned themselves against the back of her head. They waited 7 intense, silence filled, grueling minutes before he slammed the door back open, something clenched in his hand. He threw it on the table in front of his children; a small collar, with a box on one side, and two metal prongs on the inside of the band. The three of them just stared at it, a sinking feeling of terrified curiosity worming it's way around the room. Eleazar finally found his voice, enough of one to ask a single question.

"What-what is it?" He muttered. Xalas's answer can swift, and with a quiet venom that made his children shrink and Nick lean back, hoping to get out of his way as much as possible.

"That is your uncle's, my brother-in-law's, shock collar. He was convicted of having an interspecies relationship with an ocelot, and as a predator, was forced to wear that for the rest of his life. Before they were ruled as torture 9 years ago, 50 percent of all predators who wore one died from malfunctions with the device. They were electrocuted. Joshua was one of those 50 percent. And if you don't think that could happen now, then think again." He spat, and then pulled something out of his jacket. The adult vulpine dropped a newspaper on the table next to the collar, forcing Nick to walk over to read it. _Mayoral candidate Daniel Bellwether Proposes New Shock Collar Design:"We need to protect our children!" He says._ The headline killed any sort of rebuttal as the kits simply read the title over and over and over again, his children realizing their mistake, just too late.

 **Several months later**

Nick was walking away from school when he noticed the three mammals standing in his path. The zebra, hippo, and beaver were much older than when he had first met them, but he knew exactly who they were on the spot. Instead of the fear that most would feel in this situation, he kept walking, a calm composure taking over. When they spotted him, the began to move out of his way, when the beaver finally recognized who he was.

"Well well well, if it isn't the stupid fox. What the hell are you doing 'ere?" He sneered, the herbivore getting hostile. At the realization, his buddies turned with him, blocking Nick's path. _Don't ever let them see what gets to you…_ Lucia's words echoed in his head, and his resolve strengthened.

"I'm just heading to a friend's house from school. Might I ask where you're heading?" He responded, a slight cockiness entering his voice. The confidence seemingly irked the three bullies, and the beaver frowned, not liking how Nick was acting.

"Friends? School? No one would be friends with a _fox_. Probably just another dunce like you." His remark got a round of chuckles from himself and his friends, but only got a raised eyebrow from the kit, unsure of what was so funny about what he said. _Okay, two can play…_

"How am I the dunce? If you noticed, I am just now leaving my school with a backpack full of college level books while you three have been out here ditching your classes to try and seem 'cool'. But, of course, _I'm_ the dunce." Nick replied, his cocky attitude now on full blast. This got the beaver and his buddies seething; Nick knew the shove was coming his way before it actually hit, but when it did it was a lot harder than he expected. Landing on his rearend, he winced at the strength of the impact.

"You think you can call us stupid and get away with it? I'll teach you some manners." The mammal took a step towards him, and raised a tightly clenched fist. In that moment, Nick guessed (correctly) that he could probably take on the three of them and come out on top, if he so chose to. However, he stopped himself from kicking the legs out from his opponent, and just tried to get up.

"Look, I'm not going to fight you. Now please, get out of my way; I would like to meet up with my friends." He said clearly, a noble undertone to his request. However, the mammals in his way cared little about it, and his attacker just grinned, before bringing the fist down on him.

It never made contact with the russet fox though. Seemingly out of nowhere, two new foxes had entered the fray, with a large, black vulpine standing over him, catching the strike. The beaver looked up at them in horror, not expecting someone to step in. Before he could say anything, Eleazar spoke, his monotonous voice holding a deadly cold tone to it.

"Bad choice." He said quickly, before sending a powerful kick into the beaver stomach. The blow sent him flying off his feet, and he landed several meters away, holding his gut and coughing on the ground. His fellow bullies rushed to his aid, scared witless of the newcomers. As they helped him to his feet, the hippo turned to Eleazar, shouted in a shill, horrified voice.

"We-we're gonna call the police on you! You can't treat u-us like that!" Eleazar simply guffawed at the hollow threat. Lucia, who had helped Nick back to his feet, turned and snarled at them.

"Oh yeah? Well guess what? Our dad is the richest mammal in Zootopia, and he would be more than willing to put in a good word and have you three arrested and jailed for assault and truancy. Now scram!" At that the three ran off, dodging a pair of mammals walking up the street. Xalas's ear twitched irritatedly, while Mr. Springslink had a warm, if not unnervingly pleasant smile on his face.

"I thought I was supposed to meet you guys at your house? Why are you here?" Nick asked as he dusted himself off. Lucia picked up his bag and handed it to him, answering his question while she did so.

"Well, we were bored and wanted out of the house. Plus, we wanted to see the path you took. It always takes you so long to get to our house and we were curious why." She explained as she looked him over, carefully wiping some dirt from his back, her paw lingering on him for just a second before the light pink blush found it's way to her cheeks. Xalas spoke up, interrupting the kits and their would-have-been conversation.

"Do you have to deal with that daily, Mr. Wilde?" He asked, pointing to where the other children had run off to. In response, Nick first shook his head, trying to come up with a good reply to end any worries he might have.

"No sir. It was a one off thing. I don't think they're going to be coming back any time soon though." At that, the noble nodded his head, Mr. Springslink looking even more smug. However, the conversation turned to a lighter topic, as the kits started to talk about a new game Eleazar had made on his computer.

* * *

When they returned to the mansion, Xalas took an unusually heavy hand in their drills for the day. After having them playing _Once Upon a December_ , _Senya_ , and _Total Result_ randomly and without pause for over an hour, he began to toss out odd questions on everything from philosophy to history to mathematics to opinion questions that seemingly lacked a right answer, all the while pacing the room. Nick couldn't help but feel overwhelmed; he had just started to pick up the piano well enough to play the songs in their entirety without fumbling every other note, and this was a challenge he wasn't expecting. That, plus trying to do the complex arithmetic of the few math problems asked of him while still lingering on the previous question and whether or not he had given the best answer made it feel like he was drowning. He held steady though, and after another hour at the keys, Mr. Springslink came up with their food, and let Xalas know it was time for a break. Eleazar and Lucia didn't even question it, and just jumped up to grab their food and chow down. Nick however, eyed his father-figure suspiciously, trying to figure out what was going on.

That was two hours ago. Since their meal, the older fox had sparred with each of them twice, and was now on Nick for the third time. Their latest contest was by far longer than any of the previous matches, despite them being now thoroughly exhausted. They were both matte with sweat, their breaths coming in ragged, and the points of their practice swords drooping. Nick was surprised he could even hold his up anymore, with his muscles on fire and his eyes glazing over every 10 seconds. He refused to let himself give up though, determined to figure out what Xalas was trying to get at.

The silver fox sent a quick jab his way, one that Nick knocked aside without a second thought, snapped awake by his peripheral vision sensing motion. The reflex was out of habit at this point, and the fact that he didn't even have to think about it made him smirk. The next flurry of blows were haphazard and erratic, a sure sign that even at this point, despite his being much older and much more durable, even the head Fauxfang was getting tired. Knowing he wouldn't be able to keep going much longer, Nick dove aside, and rolled closer to the older fox, trying to close the distance while he was in mid-strike. He was able to get to the back of the swordsmammal, and just barely managed to get to his feet in time for a single strike. However, Xalas caught it with his own tool, spinning to come face to face with his student. Xalas chuckled through laboured breathing and disengaged, his stance losing the tense springyness it usually had during his sparring. With that difference, Nick knew the match was over, and fell to the ground, laughing and breathing heavily.

"Hahahah! Well, Mr. Wilde, I must say that that was by far the best duel I've had in a long time. In a few years I doubt even my dear Lucia will be a better swordsmammal than you!" He burst out, his compliment bringing the biggest smile to the kit's face. As he struggled to sit up, he glanced over to his friends, who had taken their seats at the back of the sparring room. The aforementioned Lucia must've fallen asleep, as she was rubbing her eyes, startled by the loud exclamation. Eleazar had the intense look of concentration on his face, however his half lidded eyes were semi-glazed over, a telltale sign he was close to sleep as well. Looking over at his children, Xalas softened up the first time that evening, a fatherly expression in his eyes as he walked over to them.

"Nicholas, would you like to take a shower while I put these two to bed? Mr. Springslink will show you to a bathroom, and afterwards I'll walk you home." The idea was refreshing, giving him the strength to get up and follow the cheetah to a large restroom, where he got undressed, and cleaned himself off, reveling in the revitalizing and soothing water. When he stepped out, he noticed his clothes had been replaced, a fresh set of garments laid out for him on the counter. The green tunic and white robe were both emblazoned with the Fauxfang insignia, and when he put them on, Nick realized they wouldn't have fit either Lucia nor Eleazar, and the specially made clothes were a household design. The realization hit him hard, and in his current state, brought tears to his eyes quite quickly. He opened the door to the bathroom, to find a refreshed Xalas standing there, a couple of boxes in his arms, a pleased look colouring his face.

"Ahh, you got them. How do they fit? I made a bet with Mrs. Springslink that she couldn't get your measurements without you noticing, but it-" Nick didn't bother to listen to him, and ran into the silver vulpine, cutting him off as he shoved his face into Xalas's chest, trying to wipe off the tears that had started to cascade down his face. He was so emotional he couldn't even get out a thank you out. He didn't have to though, as Xalas wrapped an arm around him and answered his gratitude anyway.

"I'm glad you like them. Welcome to the family, Nicholas."

* * *

Their walk back to Nick's house was quiet yet pleasant, with Xalas humming to himself quietly and Nick running his claw over the embroidered Fauxfang emblem on his left breast. At some point, Xalas bought him a vanilla ice cream cone, which he was still excitedly licking as the walked up to his door. Shifting the boxes in his arms, Lord Fauxfang knocked on the door. They didn't have to wait long before Mrs. Wilde answered the door, her face lighting up when she saw Xalas and Nick in matching outfits.

"Well hello there my little noblefox. What may I do for you two?" She asked playfully, getting a blush and sheepish grin from her son, and a sincere chuckle from Xalas.

"Haha. Well, I'm just here to drop off this little champ. And I must say, he is a champion. He went toe-to-toe with me for an hour, nonstop. Better than my own flesh and blood I would say. Especially in a year or so." He said as Nick shuffled inside, weariness starting to get to him again, causing him to fade out of the conversation as he chomped on the remaining portion of his ice cream cone and started to climb the stairs to his bedroom.

"Nick, where are you going? Don't you want to know what's in the boxes? They are in fact for you." The question interrupted the feelings of tiredness that began to resurface. Jumping off the stairs, he bounded over to the table, hoping to dodge the encroaching exhaustion. Putting down the boxes, Xalas first put in front of him a square, flat-ish one. Lifting the lid, Nick's eyes grew wide. Inside lay a traditional Fauxfang formal dress; a thick, white, fitted silk long coat with green accents and a matching green and white shirt and pants, each with the swirling fox tail of the Fauxfang mark embroidered clearly on the front. When he lifted it though, Nick immediately it was far too large, causing him to look over to the adult for an explanation.

"Haha. Yes, that is your adult set. We figured since you'll not be needing it for a while, to let your mother hold onto it for safekeeping. There's a smaller set for you back at the manor for you to wear in any upcoming events." He explained, satisfying the kit. Ecstatic, Nick folded the jacket back into place, and closed it's box again. Xalas quickly put the next one in front of him, a long, relatively thin one. This one Nick knew exactly what lay inside, and carefully opened the cardboard box to reveal yet another case. The rich mahogany and gold trimmings and foil decorations confirmed it. Lifting the case out of the cardboard, he placed it on the table, clicked open the lid, and lifted it, to reveal a stunningly beautiful sword. The gentle curve of the sheathed katana was barely noticeable, as was the hilt's seam with the scabbard. Oddly, it lacked a crossguard or handguard of any kind, allowing the gold foil decorations to flow right up to the handle uninterrupted. The silk cord lacing over the hilt was impeccable, and the bronze menuki had an exquisitely detailed carving of playful foxes, as did the kashira. Without a word but with wide eyes, he lifted the weapon out of it's comforted bed, and partially drew the blade. The quality of the metal astounded him, the purity of the coat almost white, causing it to seemingly flash as it escaped its scabbard. The hamon line was clear and apparent, but both sides of it were still mirror quality, allowing Nick to see his kitchen in the blade. He resheathed the sword, and carefully placed it back in its case. As he did, Xalas started to explain the choice.

"Well, as you know, swordsmithing is not one of my skills, so I had to contact an old family friend to have them made. Your blade, he told me, was his favourite to work on. After analyzing your fighting style, he and I decided that you were obviously suited for a more… specialized form, and we settled on a form of kenjutsu called Iaido, which will exemplify your quick strikes and lunges. We can begin to work on your new form the day after tomorrow, as tomorrow I'll be presenting Lucia and Eleazar their weapons." The words resonated with Nick, as he thought back to his desperate attempt to quickly end their last competition. Just as he thought their was nothing else for him, Xalas spoke up again, stopping his 'thank you'.

"That's not all. Now, as you know, both Lucia and Eleazar have something similar to the things I've given you so far, but you deserve something more. Nicholas, you possess something they don't, and lack a drawback they have; unlike Lucia or Eleazar, you have a desire for self-improvement, one I haven't seen in the family line for generations. My own children certainly don't have it, as they bare the pride and haughtiness that comes with growing up as nobility. To that effect, no one has worn this for generations, not since my great-great-great grandfather." He pulled a small box from his coat; the small, white parcel was engraved with an older version of the family emblem. As he handed it to Nick, the kit looked at it with curiosity, intrigued by the container. He then gingerly plucked the box out of Xalas's hand, and opened it to reveal an oddity. What lay inside of the padded box was a translucent green and red arrowhead, held to a silver chain by a vining platinum wrapping. The chain was simple, the pattern of the metallic holster was elegant, and the arrowhead gemstone shouted ancient.

"That, my good sir, is the House of Fauxfang's oldest heirloom; it pre-dates the city, the nation, and just about everything we know of in this modern world. Treat it well and keep it safe for me, why don't you?"

 **A year and a half later**

Nick sat in the theatre chair, his formal dress on, flanked on one side by Eleazar and the other by Xalas, watching an intense duel. From their position, way in the back and on a balcony nonetheless, it was difficult to see the finer details of the match, yet Nick knew how it was going regardless. Lucia had been toying with her opponents all day, to the point that Nick was sure that she hadn't even broken a sweat. It was one of the few things that left a bad taste in his mouth whenever he saw her in one of these competitions; to a trained eye, it was humiliating and unnecessary, and while she would never admit it outside of the arena, it was obvious that she reveled in it. This time, the feisty little wolf was aware of just how outmatched he was, and so his desperate strikes and jabs were even more apparent. The longer the match went on, the more the crowd realized just what was actually in control of the situation, and it didn't take long for the whole crowd to be cheering her on. When it seemed like there wasn't a single person who wasn't on her side, she scanned the crowd, her eyes eventually landing on a canine family in the balcony. It wasn't her own though; realizing something important must've caught her eye to get her this distracted during a match, the three of them turned to find what she could possibly be staring at, only to find exactly what she had focused on.

Two balconies over, in a set of seats reserved for competitor family members only, was a female white wolf, an almost horrified expression in her eyes, surrounded by four pups that sat with varying expressions from a similarly horrified to a depressingly sad. Nick looked back at Lucia, concerned now. Whoever her opponent was, it was obvious enough that he had the smarts to recognize she was distracted. He lunged at her, hoping to catch her off guard. It was a clumsy move though, the moment he came in close enough, she side stepped his practice weapon, tripped him, and brought her own tool down on his neck in a match ending blow, The expert move caused the crowd to erupt into cheers and excitement, the climax of the battle releasing all of the tension that had built up over the combat.

When the judges came on stage to congratulate her and the wolf, she turned away, threw her practice sword to the side, and ran off stage, towards the changing rooms for the swordsmammals. Jumping to his feet, Nick followed suit, running out of the seating area, not waiting for either of his companions to react. Ducking and dodging through the other patrons in the halls of the large theatre, he quickly found himself slipping into the backstage portion of the building, and after sniffing his way around, came across her dressing room. His ears twitched and his heart sank as he heard her gentle sobs, and he was just about to open the door when he jumped back at the sound of something slamming against the wall. Gulping, he opened the dressing room door, knowing he had to do something.

"Lucia? What's wrong?" He questioned cautiously as he carefully entered the private room. When he peeked around the door, his heart nearly shattered as he saw her bent over her sink, tears streaming down her muzzle. She was sobbing, but still managed to get out some words to answer him.

"I'm a monster, Nick. I humiliated those people just because I could, in front of thousands of people. In front of their family and friends and teachers. What kind of mammal does that? What sort of monster am I? When I looked around, I couldn't help but feel so proud, until-until I saw-" she couldn't bare to say it, her regret causing her to start sobbing again. When she failed to finish, Nick finally entered the room entirely, and closed the distance between the two of them, pulling her in for a hug, comforting her.

"You're not a monster, Lucia. You're proud and sometimes incredibly haughty, but not a monster. A monster wouldn't have reacted this sort of way. If you were really a monster, you would probably be the happiest mammal on Earth right now." He murmured into her ear, stroking the back of her neck, trying to comfort her. They started to sway side to side, a rhythm forming. After a minute or two of this, She had finally calm down enough for him to start talking again.

"If you feel really bad about it, then tomorrow, while they're all still in the city, we can go find them, and apologize. Get to know them a little better and actually talk. Everyone you faced today. How does that sound?" He said calmly, his soothing voice getting her to look up at him. She nodded her head, and before he could say anything else, leaned in just enough to where her lips met his, the gentle kiss both stunning him and fully expected. It no more than two seconds before she broke the embrace, bringing her head to his shoulder, and whispering in his ear.

"Thank you, Nikki."

* * *

 **Back in the present**

"She never got to apologize though. Lord Fauxfang brought us back home, and she went to lay down for the evening. The next morning was that horrible day. We had just set out, we hadn't even left Vixshire when the shooting started. In the commotion, Eleazar managed to trap me in a box. I heard the shots that I was so sure killed them, but I had to keep quiet. Even after the commotion, when the cops came around to survey the area, I kept my horror to myself. It was that night that Finnick found me, and let me out of my hiding spot. He kept me safe for the next couple of days. I didn't tell him about my mother until after the fire, when I heard she had been hospitalized." Nick's tears had matted down the fur on his cheeks, and his weeping had left his voice slightly strained. But Judy listened intently, calming and comforting presence giving him the strength to face the past. He choked on his next words, but recuperated, and finally got them out.

"I knew she had fallen in love with him, but I didn't think it was that serious. When I finally got to the hospital, between the pain of losing her son to losing her love a second time, my mother simply couldn't bare it. She died, the weight just too much. And I was left alone."

* * *

 **Hey everyone, and Happy New Year. This chapter was really draining and damn near impossible for me to write. I had to cut a few scenes that I might explore elsewhere, or use as bonus chapters afterwards. If you like it, or have any possible ideas for improvement or would like to see something changed, please leave a review. Speaking of which, I would like to thank Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, ultamantman, Archangel1275, and Morguerat for reviewing on the previous chapter. Thanks a million. The next chapter might a take a while, depending on demand, as school will be starting back up again soon and I need to start making money. Thanks for reading.**


	19. Chapter 15

Judy helped Nick to his feet, the tired fox still shaky after the long, emotional retelling of his story. The fur on his face was matted down with tears, and his eyes were still puffy from the sobbing. Judy had comforted him until he stopped crying and then some, calmly stroking his ears and combing through the fur on the back of his neck. Now as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, they finally got up to leave the ruined manor. As they headed out, Judy could feel the watchful gazes of hidden eyes staring at them intently, the attention of the vulpines of Vixshire caught by their unusual stay in the old Fauxfang mansion.

She didn't say anything though. The odd feeling was irrelevant to her, especially once Nick wrapped his tail around her, pulling her in just a little bit closer. When they finally got back to the front courtyard, the rabbit was slightly confused, as Pawtorias was nowhere to be seen. The fact didn't last long in her head though, as she was quickly awed by the sight in front of her. The amber skies and warm coloured cobblestone streets were really a view to behold, and as the two mammals walked down the path, around the stilled fountain, and back home, she concluded that a cherrier return trip would be in order.

* * *

Nick could smell both the wolf and his lackluster cooking a mile off, and silently grumbled to himself about the agent. He didn't want to deal with the formal, secretive, overly dramatic jackass, but he knew he would have to eventually. Was it too much to hope that he would at least get a quiet night with his mate before then? _I guess it is…_ the russet fox thought to himself as they walked up to the warehouse. He doubted that Pawtorias would push anything, but his mere presence was going to irritate Nick, regardless of how much he cooked. However, the loud growls that echoed from his, then Judy's stomach made him second guess that point. Wordless chuckles escaped their mouths as they opened the door, and made their way across the building and up to the higher floor, gravitating towards the food. When they got in the kitchen, the sight of the special agent in casual cloths and an apron elicited another chuckle from the two, which Sif didn't even bother responding to. They quietly sat down at the couch at the back of the room, and in a silent agreement, waited for their cook to bring them food. The meal, rice sauteed with onions, broccoli, potatoes, and other assorted veggies, with a side of salmon for the larger omnivore, was surprisingly tasty, despite the odd combination.

It was only after the meal did anyone speak up.

"Nick, I'm sorry." Pawtorias said, his attempt to break his usual monotonous tone apparent. Nick looked at him for a second, trying to read the wolf.

"Did you know?" His question took a while to form and be voiced, and when it did, it clung to the air, changing the atmosphere of the room. In response, Sif sighed and hung his head before speaking.

"Yes and no. I had my suspicions since the beginning, but never enough data to say conclusively. After a while, it just sort of… quieted. I didn't think about it one way or another, and so I forgot about it. The idea of telling you two didn't pop up until my trip outside of the city, but by then of course, it was too late." His answer seemed to satisfy the vulpine, as Nick's light glare vanished, replaced with a sort of dull understanding. With that, Pawtorias got up and walked out of the room, the late night demanding sleep of the exhausted mammals.

The couple didn't exactly obey though, postponing sleep in exchange for some moments of well deserved intimacy. After they heard the car door slam shut down stairs, Judy got them up, a slight mischievous glint to her eyes. Nick caught on only after she lead him to the shower room. Not bothering to waste any time, he scooped her up, bringing her lips to his, as his claws raked through her shirt. Unphased, she let out a quiet moan to match his enthusiasm, popping his buttons undone.

It didn't take long for them to get each other undressed, and despite the hot water and shampoo, they could smell one another quite clearly. Their second marking session was far more methodical than the previous time, as they made certain to coat each other in their own scent. When they were done, Judy clung to Nick as he dried them both off, and eventually fell into _their_ bed. The comfort of their freshly cleaned coats so thoroughly marked made the rabbit sleepy, with an underlying excitement that she hadn't really felt since high school. An excitement that she guessed Nick was also feeling, yet seemed… reluctant to do anything about. Dragging herself from sleep's doorstep, she forced the question that was on her mind to escape her lips.

"Nick, is there a reason you didn't finish the act?" The semi-delicate way to put it came off as passive aggressive, which wasn't entirely her intention. The apparent frustration got a chuckle from her mate, furthering her irritation. At that, he got up and walked over to the desk, confusing and depressing the little bunny.

"Where are you gooooiiiiinnnngggg…" Her slur was both from exhaustion and from her childish nature.

"This, my dear Carrots," Nick held up a manilla envelope, twitching it a little bit, "is a compilation of nearly every study done on interspecies genetics and fertility. This is what I asked you to pick up from the college the other day." He explained, grabbing her attention and pulling her way out of the possible realm of sleep.

"Wait, that's what you asked Prof. Kyuubi to compile for you? Before we were even together?" She jumped up, curiosity now her controlling emotion. He flicked on the light switch, allowing the night-vision-impaired to see better before sitting next to her.

"Of course. I knew what was going to happen. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Come on Carrots, you're the best detective on the force. Next time add the clues a little faster, so we might be able to get to the fun stuff a little quicker." He rolled his eyebrows, to which Judy rolled her eyes.

"Har har, okay. So what's actually in the folder?" She asked, attention turning toward the envelope in his lap.

"Well, what Prof. Kyuubi does is read nearly every study he can find on a given topic, and then writes what he likes to call an "Anthology Summary" and an "Anthology Conclusion", giving his understanding on the topic from what he's read. He'll then include his pieces and the abstracts and conclusions of each study he read in a nice and neat little envelope with his personal annotations. Very helpful if one is trying to break into a subject." Nick elaborated on the little package. Then the full weight of his implications hit her. _We aren't having sex because he's read up on interspecies fertility which means…_ Not even bothering to ask him anything, she grabbed the folder and opened it, dumping the pages on the bed and looking for the professor's conclusion, finding it rather quickly as Nick simply watched her with a smirk on his face.

She grabbed the page and scanned it, glancing over his eloquent probably unnecessarily flowery language to get to a paragraph near the bottom, where her heart skipped several beats then seemingly stopped.

 _... While there are undoubtedly difficulties for most interspecies relationships, it is apparent that no couple, physically capable of copulation, will find a solid genetic barrier to reproduction. While researchers are unsure why…_

Judy couldn't care less why. She read that sentence over and over and over and once more, trying to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. Suddenly she felt Nick's warms arms and tail wrap around her, and tears of relief made their way down her face.

"I didn't realize… I didn't know how much… I just…" Judy stammered, unable to voice her emotions. Nick's hearty chuckle cut through her stutters, and together they laid down and simply relished in their personal dreams of their possible futures, not a care in the world that night.

* * *

The next morning Judy woke up alone, wrapped up in a blanket like a bunny burrito. Slightly irritated by the lack of a certain red fox, she took a second to survey her senses, and after a moment or two, the thin, wispy scent of a weak tea and porridge broke through her vulpine's aroma, then the quiet voices of the two canines in conversation. Getting up, she let herself yawn and stretch, fighting the wariness from her eyes and muscles. She quickly put on more acceptable clothes before jogging to the kitchen. There she found Nick and Sif in what sounded to be like a detailed debate on philosophy, with Nick's smug grin and Sif's irritated expression showing just who had the upper hand.

"How could you possibly say that? You're a police officer, surely you believe in the judgement of your fellow officers." Pawtorias questioned, getting Judy's attention as she served herself some food and a glass of now cooled tea.

"And do you know how I got into the field? A certain bunny racially profiled me, followed me into an ice cream store after years of being taught that foxes couldn't be trusted, and then stepped into a fight where she in turn was being discriminated against for her species. I'm not saying either our little bunny over there or chief buffalo-butt were bad people, but it's obvious that prejudices are far more influential than most people care to admit. It's why power like you're talking about needs to be held either only by the people at large, with minority protections, or by the highly educated and trained, those who have had time to distance themselves from such prejudices." Nick's response was well articulated, and reminded Judy of one of the mammals she learned about in history classes. But despite his reasoning, she felt uncomfortable with her mate's conclusion.

"What are you guys arguing about?" She spoke up, her question coming right before a bite of food. Pawtorias answered her question, almost snapping at her.

"I was telling Nick that I think the ZPD should be given more authority in how they issue arrest and search warrants. In the ZSIS had we known the Fauxfangs' location, we would've been able to go busting down Vartini's door without the theatrics you two had to employ. It would've been much, much cleaner." The agent's judgement call seemed sound to Judy, and furthered her uneasiness with Nick's reluctance to accept the idea. His reasoning though wasn't easily faulted in her mind, which only furthered her uneasiness. The fox's response was quick though, with an effective hypothetical.

"Let's posit that the ZPD had the same level of authority that you do at the ZSIS. How well do you think that would work? For instance, it won't be long before it comes out that I have a previous connection with the Fauxfang family, a close one at that. Not only that, I've kept my home quite well hidden. This means that anyone could give the ZPD a tip that I'm actually hiding the missing sibling here. They have enough reason to believe it, and the officers in the ZPD probably are aware of the kiss Lucia dragged me into that evening. They could easily make the connection that I'm in cahoots with them. Then they come down here, arrest me at my home, and in doing so destroy my reputation, reveal my past identity, and my residence in one fell swoop without a concrete iota of information. All of their reasoning was, for the most part, valid. But here in the city, with over 10 million mammals in close quarters, things that would've seemed like obvious connection to you outside the city limits are what we call _coincidences_." The fox explained. Judy mulled it over in her head while Sif thought of a rebuttal.

"But-well that's outrageous. The ZPD knows you're not connected to them-" He started, but Nick cut him off.

"Precinct 1 and 3 know I'm not connected to them. But that covers, what, 100 mammals? The ZPD is comprised of a small army of more than 40,000 uniformed police, with every single one of them on high alert right now, and nearly all of them far to jumpy. If they had the authority to do what you're talking about, then they wouldn't bother contacting Bogo or anyone for approval."

"That's insane. At the ZSIS we're all aware of updates on each other's cases, especially the closer we are to each other. The commands of each Precinct undoubtedly are made aware as well." Pawtorias's reply was quick, but then again, so was Nick's.

"You mean the nearly 1000 commander offices? Yeah, I highly doubt it. You're working under your experience at the ZSIS, where you all report directly to the ZSIS director and the President-Chief, and there's what, 40 of you? 50? It's easier to keep that sort of group up-to-date on everything, when you're all far more disciplined, better trained, and far more invested in your jobs." However, his statement really rubbed Judy the wrong way, and she had to speak up to it.

"What do you mean; are you saying they're better than us Nick? I've worked hard to get where I am, and I care more about being a police officer than anyone does about anything else." She argued, the emotion apparent. Nick raised his paws in conciliation, trying to calm her down.

"You misunderstand me Carrots. I'm not saying that they're inherently better, or that they care more. I'm saying that Pawtorias had to go through a decade long training program while you and I went through less than a tenth of that, in both difficulty of the regiment and course length. Not only that, he's had 2 weeks off in the past 20 years with 20 hours each day spent working, while we put in half of that on a longer day and weekends off, not to mention a fair bit of paid leave. I'm saying they have to put more dedication into their jobs than we do ours, because that's the job, not the person." Her mate's explanation calmed her down, but led to a question, one that Sif beat her to.

"Mr. Wilde, how much education do you have? You're not speaking from a high school level." He asked, with Nick's ears perking up at the inquiry. Sighing, he looked over at Judy's empty bowl, knowing he couldn't procrastinate any longer.

"Well, might as well show you guys now. Not like most of the cat isn't out of the bag anyway." He said with a smirk, and lead them back to his bedroom. Judy realized that he had taken out his chest key as they passed through the threshold, and it dawned on her that they were finally getting to look inside the big chest. _With permission this time._

As he slipped the key into the tumblers, the anticipation seemed to make their clicks and subtle thumps a thousand times louder to the two mammals standing behind him. When the final tumbler came undone, the loud clank of the lock finally opening stopped their breathing, and slowly Nick lifted the lid, opening the chest once again. At once, the thick and for some reason refreshing scent of pine needles and peppermint filled the room. Slowly, gingerly, Nick lifted out the large, gorgeous comforters and blankets he had stored on top of the more prized possessions. The white with red and green ink drop patterns seemed very Nick to her. Then Nick reached in to pull out three framed items, and sat down with them, taking them in for a second, as he leaned his back against the chest. With that, Judy and Pawtorias joined him, looking over his shoulder. The first frame displayed a picture, the five foxes easily discernible and identifiable. Nick was front and center, a large, goofy smile spread across his face, his arms reaching over the two kits next to him. Lucia was almost stuck to his right side, her head leaning on his shoulder and paws around his waist. He was slightly taller than her, but nowhere near the already massive Eleazar on his left, who had held an annoyed yet amused smirk and crossed arms. Behind the kits stood a vixen that was obviously Mrs. Wilde. Her aged face held a strength and quiet, reminiscent beauty that marked her as both older and younger than she was. She held her paws close to the front, reserved and tranquil. To her left was a bright eyed silver fox, beaming at the camera, his paws on Mrs. Wilde's shoulder and Eleazar's. The group looked undeniably happy. It was in that moment that judy finally truly understood what Nick had lost, and worriedly glanced up at him. Any tears he might have weren't visible, just the look of regretful content.

"Now's not the time for sentimentality, though. You asked a question, and this," he put aside the top from of the pile to reveal two certificates, "is your answer." Sif squinted as he read the papers, and Judy immediately went wide-eyed. The first one she read was a diploma for a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematical Principles from Vixshire School of Mathematics, with Nick's name so fancily signed on the recipient line.

"Nick, you're a college graduate!? Why didn't you ever tell me?" She shouted, causing both canines to wince from the unexpected outburst. Then she saw the other certificate, and her voice rose three octaves that day.

"YOU HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE AND I NEVER KNEW?" She yelled as she grabbed the Master's degree from him. The degree was in Community Legal Philosophy, from the Vixshire Graduate School of Philosophy. After rubbing his ears in an attempt to silence the ringing, Nick answered her question.

"That's because no one knew, except the school, Professor Kyuubi, and myself of course. I don't use it for anything, and I didn't really want anyone to know about them. You never asked, so I never brought it up. However, I did use a lot of my study work to argue rings around the instructors at the Academy. Those law classes were some of the easiest I've ever gone through. Even made a pretty penny tutoring people." He said, a smirk on his face. Sif simply grunted a bemused scoff, but Judy had more questions still.

"How did you even get in? How did you pay for it? If you could've been teaching or doing something with this MASTER'S then why the HELL were you peddling PAWPSICLES?" She stood exasperated, thumping her foot and pulling on her ears. Nick laughed at her madness, getting ready to explain it all.

"Hahaha. Where do you think all of my hustling money went? I wasn't really exaggerating when I said I made 200 bucks a day, babe. And seeing as I've been living rent and utilities free, and haven't spent much on stuff obviously, where do you think I spent it? A lot of it went as 'anonymous' donations to the school, from mammals concerned about low income or disadvantaged people that deserved a higher education." His smug description of himself as both 'anonymous' and 'a low income and disadvantaged mammal' got an annoyed scowl from the bunny. Seeing her look, he cleared his throat and refocused, though, not without a clear smile on his face.

"I didn't want to give up the quiet life of anonymity I had with Finnick for something so dull as teaching undergrads. So, when I was offered a Doctoral program, I turned it down. Professor Kyuubi was actually pretty sad about it, but I kept in contact with him and recently have discussed the idea again." He further explained, answering her second question. Her crossed arms told him he hadn't gotten out of answering the first one, which he had conveniently skipped over.

"Okay okay okay. Dr. Kyuubi knows me, from before the incident. He knew who I was, and my connection to the family. He was an old friend of Lord Fauxfang. One day, when I was around 17, I was running from some particularly angry thugs, I ran into him, and he helped me hide until they were gone. Then we talked, and he threatened me with going to the authorities if I didn't try to live up to Xalas's expectations. Well, I wasn't too keen on the publicity I would get from that, so he enrolled me in a bunch of his classes. I got the Bachelor degree in 2 and a half years, and the Master's in a flat 2. I would say those were some of the best times, if it hadn't been for Finnick snooping around my bags all the time. I'm surprised he didn't figure it out after all of those years." The sentimental fox grinned as they looked over the certificates, Judy finally accepting his full answer. After a moment, their curiosity began to climb again, the rest of the items in the chest calling them. Nick noticed their squirming, despite how much they tried to hide it.

"You wanna see the rest of it?"He asked his rhetorical question, to which Judy gave the enthusiastic head nod to answer. Nick snickered in response, before getting up and tossing out a couple items. An iron signet ring emblazoned with the Fauxfang stamp, a couple rolls of parchment paper, some sticks of wax, a pillow, a pillowcase, and several pens later he got to the two boxes that Judy had seen in her previous visit inside the chest. The long, mahogany box was slightly dusty, but the gold trimmings and foil accents and patterns still sparkled brilliantly. Clicking open the latches, he revealed the katana underneath, the sword resting nicely in it's scabbard. It was just as beautiful as ever, and despite never really being interested in the tools, Judy looked at it in amazement. When he lifted the tool, she sat back, and with a slight gasp, watched him unsheathe the weapon in one quick motion. The delicate ring that it released and the bright flash from the pristine white blade were awe-inspiring. It took her a moment to read notice the etching in the side of the blade. Sif noticed it a second faster, and asked her question first.

"' _Ettle noest bi-gara mei_ '? I've never heard of that language. What does it mean?" Nick took a second before giving the answer.

"'No honour shall be spilt by me'. The language is old, and Lord Fauxfang didn't teach us how to speak it fluently. Well, didn't try. I could for a while partially speak it, but it was hard as hell. I don't remember the direct translation, but it goes with her name, _Second Chance._ " He elaborated, getting a nod from the both of them in understanding. He quickly resheathed her, a shiver crawling up his spine from her almost pleased chime, feeling a familiar completeness. As he did, Judy picked up and opened the smaller box, the trinket she found captivating her eyes. Inside the little white box was a green gemstone, cut out in the shape of a rough arrowhead. The translucent green crystal had an inner, inky red to it, which was accented by the highly polished platinum vine wrapping. She made a silent 'wow' at the pendant, the slight atmosphere change grabbing the canines attention. Kneeling down, Nick gingerly picked it up, and fastened it around his neck, and without a word, walked out, intent on playing the piano again.

* * *

 **Hey guys. This chapter has some important information, some stuff i was just playing around with, and some things that I said 'eh, fuck it' and liked writing about. I like how this came out, but if you could tell me what _YOU_ liked/disliked that would help out a lot.**

 **Thank you Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps as usual and Morguerat of course, for reviewing the previous chapter. It really means a lot. Also, special thanks to Mr. Dox The Fox, who has been collaborating with me on a new story concept that I think I'm really growing quite interested in. It'll have a pilot chapter up in the next week or so, as he and I hash out details and I put together the introductory chapter. So look out for that.**

 **Anywho, I hope you guys really liked the chapter, thanks for reading, and please review if you have any thoughts whatsoever.**


	20. Chapter 16

Nick went to sit down on the bench in front of his piano, but jumped back as a sword lodged itself in the dusty black lacquered wood. The sword was slightly shorter than Nick's katana, and the curve a completely different style, highly familiar to the russet fox though. Looking up to the catwalk above him, he scowled at Pawtorias for a second, before sighing and chuckling.

"Hey, I'm sorry you can't take a hit, but I didn't think my little punch to the gut was that hard. How about next time I tone it down for you?" Nick's sarcasm and cockiness was thick in the air. At that point Judy wasn't sure who she was more irritated with, Pawtorias for throwing the blade so dangerously or Nick for reacting so… cool. _Do_ _ **NOT**_ _start fawning over that. You won't hear the end of it for_ _ **YEARS**_ _if you let him think that that's attractive._ Another glance at his confident stance and clear, steady eyes thoroughly shook her resolve, Nick's newfound charisma whetting her already razor sharp appetite.

Then something brought her back to reality; the large grey wolf in front of her jumped over the railing and plummeted to the ground 20 feet below, landing unphased. Without a word, he tossed the long white sword and scabbard across the room, Nick catching it effortlessly. For a second, his slick wit seemed to fail him, as he momentarily looked cautiously from blade to mammal and back again. Then the whole atmosphere shifted, as the unspoken challenge resonated through the building. The russet fox scoffed and chuckled, shaking his head, yet remaining silent. The two canines began to circle each other, Nick stepping away from the piano he had been right about to play. It wasn't long until Nick was in the center of the large warehouse, and Pawtorias dislodged the sword he had thrown from the bench, brandishing the weapon. As he did, Judy's fight or flight instincts began to ring alarm bells, fear for her mate clutching her mind. She swallowed hard, waiting for something to happen. Nick laughed again, and this time really broke the silence.

"Are you serious? I haven't used her in decades. I don't remember how to dance like I used to." He scoffed, trying to wiggle out of the situation. Sif wasn't having it though. His response shook Nick's sly grin, and got another hard swallow from the bunny upstairs.

"A skilled mammal once told me that swordplay is like riding a bicycle: once you learn it, you can never forget. Now," Sif raised his weapon, "show me what you got." At that he closed the distance between himself and the russet fox in a single bound, the sweeping overhead strike coming down on Nick like a hammer. Or, well, where Nick _used_ to be. The blade sliced through empty air as Nick calmly sidestepped the blow. Pawtorias wasn't finished with his assault though. A flurry of slashes and sweeps came in quick succession as a follow up. The engagement caught Judy's breath in her throat, until she realized something. Nick hadn't even bothered to draw his weapon. And while the fox's stance had changed considerably, obviously taking up a swordsmammal's posture, his calm demeanor and confident ducks and dodges shouted 'SKILL' so loudly that even an untrained eye could see the difference. Unlike normal, Nick was standing on his toes, the ancient posture looking almost normal. As she noticed it, she remembered that day in the Rainforest District… _On the log, when we were running from Mr. Manchas, he ran like that… I hadn't noticed until now…_ Judy realized. In that short run even she had stumbled once or twice, but Nick's footing never failed him. It was obvious why now, his footwork practically flawless.

The two canines kept at each other. Well, at least Pawtorias kept on Nick. No matter how fast he seemed to be, or how dangerous the strike, Nick seemed to be one step ahead of him. After about a minute of seamlessly dodging Sif's attacks, Nick grinned, and finally drew his blade, catching the larger wolf unbalanced. He partially unsheathed it, blocking the agent's weapon in a clean defense. Surprised, Sif stood there, locked against the fox.

"I hope you know I'm just toying with you at this point." Nick spoke, his confidence apparent. It elicited nothing but a growl from the wolf, and he pushed back, his greater size and strength forcing Nick to jump away. Now Judy was getting worried. The agent came back in, and the loud clash of the two blades striking each other rang throughout the building. She watched on as it seemed like the confrontation seemed to get fiercer, then it hit her; Sif wasn't a swordsmammal. He knew a little bit, but whatever skill he had was lackluster. The increased speed of the battle was his determination, not skill. Even Judy had learned his pattern, and if she was, then Nick was undoubtedly aware. It didn't take long for the fox to get bored though. Just as it seemed like Pawtorias was about to give up, Nick drew his blade fully with a flourish and disarmed the wolf, a solemn look of pride and boredom mixing on his face as he sent Sif's weapon flying into the air. Startled at the sudden aggression, the larger mammal wasn't prepared for the swift kick to his gut, and when combined with his loss of balance from Nick's single strike, sent him stumbling backwards. And with that, the contest was over, declared by the skidding blade on the concrete floor.

"Ack! GODDAMNIT NICK! The next time you hit me in the gut like that I'm gonna beat you with a baseball bat!" Pawtorias screamed as he held his stomach, the pain showing up clearly on his face.

"Haha. You started this fight. You should've thought about that before you ruined my piano bench." Nick chuckled, waiting at the bottom of his lift for the almost giddy bunny. As soon as she was close enough, she jumped on her fox, giggling in both relief and attraction.

"Wow Nick! That was…" she quieted herself, desperately trying stop from inflating his ego anymore than it was.

"Awesome? Spectacular? Hot as hell?" He finished her sentence with a wiggle of his eyebrows, getting a blush and a punch from the little rabbit.

"Ow…" he breathed in response. Deciding to chastise the two canines, she took on an irritated air, turning to Pawtorias and breaking from Nick's embrace.

"That was irresponsible and very dangerous. What if one of you had gotten hurt? We have work to do and you can't do it from the hospital." She scowled at them, and puffed up her chest while she was at it.

"Oh c'mon Carrots, we were never going to get hurt. And besides, we're alright, aren't we Stiff?" Nick joked as Pawtorias got back to his feet, his normally calm and stoic demeanor returning in full swing.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, or acted irresponsibly, but I had to see for myself." Sif apologized. Just as Judy was about to continue scolding him, the clink of metal could be heard, and they turned around to find Nick inspecting Sif's weapon.

"Where did you get this?" His question held a weight to it. The slender blade was an astonishing quality, and was obviously meant for a mammal much smaller than the towering wolf. With a sigh, Pawtorias answered his question.

"Miss Fauxfang had it on her when she was taken into custody. I relieved her of it yesterday."

"Is she still at the police station?" Nick's solemn attitude coaxed Judy into coming to his side, trying to be as supportive as possible.

"Yes. We can't get anything out of her. I was hoping you might." Sif's explanation of the situation was clear, and without a word, Nick walked to the car and got in, his silent resignation to the far more troubling confrontation ahead.

* * *

Lucia sat in the interrogation room, bored out of her mind. They had moved her twice since yesterday's attempted interrogation, but not once did they give her anything to do, and it was starting to frustrate her. She had already come to the conclusion that the grey wolf had been lying, just to get her reaction. Unfortunately for her, he was a good liar, and she had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. This disheartened her, as it meant that the confrontation she was so loathing was going to be crawling up faster that she wanted. It had been a long time since she felt the sensation that was currently crawling through her fur. She wasn't used to the fear, the angst, as she hadn't experienced this level of anticipation in decades, and she wasn't appreciative. When they had taken her to a cell and fed her, if one could call that goop food, she was relieved at the reprieve, knowing he wouldn't be coming around that day. However, the moment she finished the cardboard crackers they had given her for breakfast, they carted her back to the interrogation room, and seemingly abandoned her there. And so she paced, jumped, exercised, anything to keep her mind preoccupied. She should've been preparing.

She was leaning against the table, her back to the door, when he opened it. For a second as she turned around, she expected it to be a guard bringing her lunch, but that expectation was shattered, reality catching her breath in her throat. Nicholas Wilde and Judith Hopps stood in the doorway, Judy's face filled with determination and a hint of serious curiosity. Nick's, however, indecipherable. At the sight of him, her body froze up, the witty remark she had been planning for the moment nowhere to be heard, not even in the recesses of her own mind. She went blank, and quickly realized just how little strength she had. In those milliseconds, both Nick and Judy and any observers on the other side of the one sided glass undoubtedly figured it out too.

"Sit." The one word command was almost absolute to her, and she immediately sat down in her chair, her eyes wide with depression and vulnerability. Something about the change in the vixen's expression sent a pang of sympathy through the doe, as she and her partner crossed the room to sit across the table from the arctic fox.

"Lucia Audhry Fauxfang, you are aware of the charges pressed against you? And you have denied your right to a lawyer?" His emotionless voice sent shivers down the vixen's spine.

"Yes." For the first time in her life she truly felt like a kit, small and utterly spineless. He could've asked her anything, and she knew he would, and she would answer, just like he knew she would.

"Then are you willing to cooperate?"

"... yes…" her voice shriveled, any semblance of dignity leaving her completely.

"Then tell me what happened after you were abducted by Arkous Savage." The demand was an expected one, and she knew exactly where to begin.

"After he kidnapped us, we were taken somewhere outside the city. We were locked up in a basement of some sort, no windows or outside light. We didn't know how long we were in there for, but after a while, we were moved again. This time, to a large laboratory. There we were treated… decently, until the experiments began." She started, her voice shivering at the memory.

"Experiments?" Judy asked, catching the vixen's subtle change in tone at the mention. Lucia nodded her head in response, trying to get some sort of reaction from the russet fox in front of her. Nick gave her nothing though, so she went on.

"Arkous savage brought in a doctor, and she began taking measurements. First it was simple stuff, like height and weight. But it wasn't long before she started to take blood test, and even monitor our brain activity. Then it really began." Lucia gulped and retracted to herself, starting to curl up. Her pause was short lived, and she continued.

"One day we were brought into a big room, and strapped into some tables. Then she came, with two needles full of a bluish, purple-ish liquid. She injected us both with it, and it hurt. It made me angry, and the pain was almost unbearable. It seemed to affect my head the most. El was given more that I was, and he started thrashing. He screamed for hours. When it finally subsided, we were exhausted. They fed us, and put us back to our beds. But the next day we did it again. This time it was a lower dosage, but the effect was the same. Day in, day out. I knew that they were trying to figure something out about the drug, but I could never figure out what. Until one day…" the story sent alarms through Judy's head, and despite his unreadable facade, the doe knew Nick was having the same thoughts. She went on though, not even looking at them anymore.

"One day, El snapped. The dosage must've been too high, or he must've been too tired already. He snapped. He broke out of his restraints, and… ended the researchers. The only one who survived was the sheep that had been administering the injections, and only barely. Eleazar couldn't be controlled, but I managed to get loose in the commotion, and calm him down. They stopped the experiments after the incident, but he was changed. He wasn't him anymore. His eyes, they were just so empty…" Lucia whispered, her own eyes filling with tears. It was apparent that she couldn't go on, and Nick finally broke his mask, speaking up as he got out of his chair.

"I am so sorry." His simple statement caught both female's attention as he walked out of the room, his anger obvious as it bristled through his fur. Unsure what to do, Judy hesitated before following him, moving to do so only when he got out the door. Before she could get off her chair however, the vixen's paw was on her arm, the steely grip stopping her from leaving.

"Wait. Judy, when I said I wanted to be your friend I was serious. And as your friend I need to tell you something." Judy could see the sincerity in the fox's eyes, her pain and emotional torment quite readily shown. Recomposing herself, Judy swallowed, and turned back to the murderess, giving her her full attention.

"Look, I know my brother and I have done some horrible things, but none of it is his fault. Something broke in him that day. He doesn't have cares or wants or likes anymore. Whatever they were doing to us damaged him horribly. I don't know how, I don't know why, but please, you have to believe me when I say that he couldn't choose otherwise. I've done all I could to protect him, but now I don't know what will happen." It was clear to the little bunny that the worry wasn't an act, and that there was more than any of them had suspected to this story. Nodding in understanding, she made her way out of the room. Before she could though, Lucia spoke up once again, obviously fighting the flood of tears behind her ruby red eyes.

"Judy? One more thing, please. Just…" the obvious pain at the incoming request was thick in the air, and when she finally choked it out, the reason why was clear, "... just make him happy. He deserves it." Judy looked into the eyes of the wilting vixen, seeing the utter defeat in them, and simply nodded once again as she left, leaving Lucia to sob over her losses, not able to control herself anymore.

* * *

 **2 days ago**

Eleazar watched, unable to understand, as his sister was wrapped up in a massive net and dragged back down to the helipad. Following the trajectory of the net, he found the wolf who had fired it, one of the supposed guards that had come on the other helicopter. The large black fox blinked, not quite comprehending what had just happened. Just then, the grey wolf he was staring at pulled out a pistol and started firing, the muzzle flashes knocking Eleazar out of his stupor. Before he could react though, the black bear next to him shoved him out of the way as he closed the helicopter door, shouting an order to the pilot. Picking himself up from the floor of the copter, Eleazar fought the numbing feeling in the back of his head, trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.

"Well look at this mess! You two weren't worth the trouble. My hotel is going up in flames and now I'm flying off to only heaven knows where! You useless, good-for-nothing foxes! Wait until Sava-" Eleazar had enough of the rat. Pulling out his hand cannon, he fired it, blasting a hole in the rat's head, silencing him forever. After the single shot, he dropped the gun as the black bear laughed, and sat in one of the seats, a firestorm of emotions hidden just beneath the surface.

* * *

 **Sorry for the short chapter. I thought that was a good place to leave off and won't have that much time to write this weekend, so it was either a short chapter now or a regular chapter in a couple of days, sooooo... Well, anywho, big stuff has been revealed in this chapter, and the next chapter will be set up for yet more conflict, and a blast from the past. So get ready for that. Expect it around Friday. Hopefully...**

 **Big thanks to Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps and Morguerat on the reviews. I really appreciate it. Also big thanks to Libious for reading the story, it really meant a lot.**

 **Shout out to Morguerat and his story "The Coming Storm", as it is a really good story with far to few readers. If you're looking for more suspense and Nick and Judy action be sure to go read it. You might even see a familiar face in it.**

 **Last thing; massive thanks to Mr. Dox the Fox, as he's been following this story for a while, and has been collaborating with me on another Zootopia fanfic, which I've taken quite I liking to. Check it out, it's on my profile, named "Buried Secrets"**


	21. Chapter 17

Eleazar cleaved through the practice dummies, his black long sword slicing them like a hot knife cutting butter. He had spent the last two days waiting for Savage's arrival, and his waking hours were spilt up between practicing on the dummies and occasionally eating. Today he had even garnered a small audience, the black bear from his extraction and some of his lackeys hung around the edges of his little practice area, watching him tear through the dummies that Arkous had sent with the sword that came with them. After two days of this, they were starting to run low, and the bear was getting nervous about what he might start using for practice should they run out of dummies before Savage arrived. His display of ferocity and apparent ruthless skill had his whole team on edge, as they soon realized just why the fox was Arkous's favourite toy. As the vulpine shredded another practice dummy, one of the bear's aides came up behind him, the lynx eyeing the fox cautiously as he whispered something to the larger predator.

"Sir, Arkous Savage is here." The lynx said, his voice slightly shaken. At the mention, the bear seemed to calm down, taking on a more confident demeanor for a second.

"Well, bring him in! We have quite a show-" his blustering was cut out as he heard the uneven footsteps and light thud of a walking stick. His voice was caught in his throat as he quickly turned around, catching Savage's malicious grin head on. Now behind him, the black vulpine stopped his slaughter of the dummies and sheathed his sword, the scrapping of the blade running down the unique metal scabbard ringing through the room. Arkous was the first to speak up, interrupting the deadly melody.

"Hallo, Boris. Long time no see?"

* * *

Nick found himself in the records department once again, Pawtorias standing over his shoulder, watching as his claws clacked away at the keys. Judy was nowhere to be seen so Nick guessed that she was still interrogating Lucia upstairs, getting a more formal statement from the vixen. This fact was unimportant to the fox though, as he quickly ran through background files. As he found the mammal he was looking for, he stopped and growled, his anger rising to a visible peak.

"Well, that answers several questions. I'll set up a meeting immediately." Pawtorias said as he pulled his phone out, heading back to the ground level for better reception. As he walked out, Judy ran in, and saw the look of utter frustration on his face.

"What's wrong? What did you find?" She worriedly queried. Nick gestured to the monitor, rubbing his eyes as he tried to fight the headache building in the back of his mind. She walked around the corner of the desk, and groaned at the display, the LCD monitor bringing a blast of the not-as-distant-as-they-would-like past.

"Are you serious? You really think _she's_ responsible?" Judy exclaimed, desperately looking for a way out of what it meant. But the coincidences were too many to ignore.

"You heard what Lucia said. A sheep doctor, bluish serum, high aggressiveness; it all fits. Which means she's a lead. She might know what they were doing to Lucia and Eleazar, and we need to know what they were doing." The obvious connection was, well, obvious. Sighing, Judy gave up the fight, and followed Nick out of the room, not even bothering to shut off the computer behind them, leaving _Dr._ Dawn Bellwether's picture and personnel information on screen.

* * *

"There is a first time for everything, Eleazar. However, I never expected to be dealing with _this_." Savage sat in a large swivel chair, staring down both Eleazar and Boris. The venom in his voice was well hidden, diluted with a playful frustration and an false surprise. However, the two criminals meeting his ire were not mislead. The black vulpine simply took full impact of the abuse, numb already to the pain and lacking any sort of receptors for what should've been paralyzing terror.

"The ZPD has captured Lucia, and there seems to be another actor attempting to disrupt our activities, one that you have neither dispatched nor even identified or located. You have failed me in two regards in the span of a single week. Do you have anything to say for your sister and yourself?" He growled. The fox met his glare with silence, his eyes a complete void of emotions. Arkous knew he wouldn't be able to get much else from the broken mammal, but he was still irritated about it. _One small setback. And it might yet play to our advantage… play our cards well, Suka, and we might just get out on top still…_ The wolf thought to himself, as he made the fox's next order clear.

"Well, this makes your next move all the easier to decide. You must first retrieve your sister from ZPD custody. The longer they have her the more likely they might discover my secrets. Once you have done that, you and she will be assigned to dealing with our side problem until it is either dealt with or I have finished my business in the city. Understood?" Savage demanded, his command clear and falsely charismatic. His fox servant simply nodded in response, before heading out the door. As the door closed behind him, Boris spoke up, taking the liberty of asking questions, questions he would never get the answer to.

"What's wrong with that guy? Seems a bit… off." He posited, with the grey wolf ignoring the question. The criminal mastermind reached into his jacket and pulled out an ornate glove. The deep blue silk garment was trimmed with gold, and in the palm there was a marquis cut gemstone, fastened into a silver holster. The gemstone was unlike anything Boris had ever seen; it was flawless, but as the light refracted through it, cracks seemed to appear and fade in flashes through the stone, with the blue of the stone seemingly brightened and darkening with the amount of cracks visible. Still in silence, Arkous slipped the glove on, working it onto his claws, and once on, tested it's fitness by making a fist. The material silk stretched, but no stitching came undone, and after several flexes, the canine was pleased with it. Curious, Boris asked yet another question.

"Well, I never would've thought you would be so interested in something so tacky. Where the hell did you manage to find something like that?" He chuckled at the view, his deep, throaty voice finally breaking Arkous's thoughts. In response the wolf looked up at him, his amber eyes filled with a contentment that gave the bear chills.

"You can find a lot of oddities in the tombs of the ancients, especially when you know which tombs to search. Drako Fauxfang's sepulcher _was_ one such vault of trinkets and treasures like this, but has since been… emptied of its valuables." The wolf's answer caught Boris's attention, and the bear's expression soured.

"You know it's bad luck to pillage a dead mammal's tomb. You might be biting off more than you can chew." His warning fell on deaf ears though, the criminal mastermind disregarding his caution outright with a simple wave of his paw.

"Boris, I've had enough to deal with in these past decades to last the rest of my life time. No superstition or spirits of old will change my course now."

* * *

The three mammals sat in silence, the anticipation for their upcoming encounter thick. Sif couldn't exactly understand why his allies were so nervous. Dawn Bellwether had been incarcerated for a month and a half, and wasn't slated to be released for a long time. So it wasn't like they could make her more dangerous for her eventual release. As they pulled into the parking lot for the penitentiary he chalked it up to irrational reasonings, thoughts that he had to put down before they got out of the car.

"Don't move, either one of you. Now, I don't know why you two are so uptight about this, but you're going to have to shake off those nerves. If Bellwether is connected, then we need to get everything out of her, and I doubt she'll say anything if she thinks you two are afraid of her." He said, completely missing the mark. The two looked at each other in their shared seat, then back at Pawtorias, then laughed, getting a scowl from the wolf.

"Oh, that's a good one. We're not afraid of her. No, just irritated that we have to see her again." Nick said through the laughter, Judy nodding in agreement. Annoyed, Sif was about to say something, but stopped himself as the air cleared of the weight that he was trying to get rid of to begin with. Shrugging and sighing, he got out of the car, with Nick and Judy following suit. They quickly made their way through the front office of the prison and to the visitor area, flashing their badges at any staff or guards that tried to stop them. When they finally got to the private visitor room they had been heading towards, Pawtorias stopped them, not being able to enter with them.

"Unfortunately I can't go in with you. I have to speak with the warden about something. I take it you guys can handle this by yourself, yes?" The two smaller mammals shrugged, not really thinking his presence necessary. Looking across the two of them, he nodded silently, and walked away, trusting them without any word of warning. At that, Nick and Judy turned to the door, and for the first time in a long time, clicked back into their normal partnership relationship.

"So, Detective Toot-toot, how do you want to deal with her? How about…" Nick started his suggestion, but no verbal cues were given to indicate what he meant. Instead, he wiggled his eyebrows and then gave his muzzle two quick strokes. Judy let out a short laugh, rebuking the idea.

"Nah, I was thinking something more like…" her response stopped short as well, deciding to go the same route, as her partner, twitching her ears, booping her nose, then wiping something off her shoulder.

"Hmm, an interesting thought… sure, let's do it. You or me?" He agreed, getting a raised eyebrow from the little officer. But she accepted her victory quickly, and responded confidently.

"Moi aussi." Judy said, getting a chuckle from her larger partner.

"'Aussi' means 'also' in French carrots. Not the word you're looking for." He corrected getting a groan from the bunny and an eye roll.

"Give me a break, I only took it for the two years." She replied, and before he could give her a quick-witted remark, she opened the door, and they instantly dawned the indecipherable masks of control. Bellwether sat in a chair, handcuffed to a small table in front of her, the look of murder boiling deep in her eyes. It was apparent that if she wasn't restricted to the chair she was in, then she undoubtedly would've jumped out of the seat and attempted to strangle the fox and bunny that had walked in.

"Oh look who it is. And to what curse do I owe the displeasure of this little meeting? I hope you haven't come for tea or biscuits, they don't let me use heating appliances." She spat at them, her teeth clenched as she made no effort to conceal her vitriol for the couple. Then the scent hit her, and she gagged and tried to jump back in her seat, hoping to avoid the smell of their markings, only for her wrist restraints keeping her from getting too far. Nick and Judy walked up to their seats at the little table, and sat down, waiting for her overreaction to die down.

"Ugh, oh my god I knew you two were close but I had no idea you would do something so… _perverse_! How disgusting!" She tried to reprimand them, hoping the insults would get some sort of reaction from the two. However, Judy's deadpanned and off topic response cut through her disgust and wailings.

"So, _Dr._ Bellwether, tell me about the work you did for Arkous Savage a couple decades ago." The allusion silenced the lamb so fast her voice was still bouncing off the walls as she shut her mouth and went wided eyed for a second. Her stuttering denial was met with nothing but amused looks telegraphing her lack of persuasion.

"I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about. Arkous who? What research?"

"Oh, who said anything about research? Did you Nick? I didn't." Judy's sarcastic response showed Dawn her mistake, and clammed up even further, unable to figure out how to proceed. After a brief laugh, Judy spoke up again, catching the sheep in the middle of a deep swallow.

"Listen, Bellwether; we have information that proves you were a part of the Fauxfang kidnapping 20 years ago, and we have a very skilled, very upset vixen in custody that know we know a lot, and knows that we have you. And he boss won't be happy to hear both of these things. So when our latest batch of detainees get dropped off here, you very well might have a very, very angry fox looking to shank you in the showers. Now, if you spill the beans, I can assure you that won't happen." the picture Judy painted caused the biologist and former mayor's eyes to grow even wider in fear. After two seconds in silence, Judy sighed, and the two detectives got up. Before they could step away though, Dawn shouted, grabbing their attention.

"NO WAIT OKAY I'LL TALK! I wasn't a part of the kidnappings I swear I was a postgrad researcher and my professor and I were contacted because we had done some really interesting work on chemical neurobiology, specifically with narcotics. Before the kidnappings a mammal contacted us and offered a massive sum of money, a little over three million dollars when it was all said and done, for some top secret project. When we agreed, we were kidnapped and brought to a bunker, where we met him. That wolf, Arkous. He explained the situation, and warned us that if we said anything then he would have us killed, and so we agreed. I promise you I didn't help kidnap the blasted kits." She sped through a short explanation, but just enough to get their attention. Sitting back down, Judy pulled out her carrot pen and started recording.

"What kind of research did you agree to do on the Fauxfang children?" Her question was to be expected, and for a second Bellwether thought about not answering it, but she did anyway, knowing they had all the leverage here.

"Arkous Savage had myself and a small research team working with Nighthowlers. He wanted us to test the effects of a certain strain on mammals. First, buffalos, then other wolves, then rabbits. After around a year, he brought the Fauxfangs to us. At first, Professor Nitz and I thought the effect would be no different, but there were dramatic differences." She elaborated, and took a slight pause before continuing under Judy and Nick's almost oppressive stares.

"With the other subjects, the mammals went crazy and savage, as you could imagine. Their brain activity when recorded showed that more modern, civilized portions of the brain were basically shutting down and all of the energy and blood was diverted to more ancient, less civilized parts. However, the Fauxfang siblings didn't show this. Instead, they showed a rise in brain activity all around, with older portions reactivating and newer portions drawing even more blood and resources. After several trials, the older portions were starting to remain active beyond the normal scope of a modern fox despite the drug being used up in their system already. In was around two month in when we realized that it was having several other effects on them as well, not to mention what the increased calculating capacity of their reawoken native lobes gave them." She hinted, and Nick stopped her. The two detectives guessed that whatever Arkous had been after, it was in those effects, and their specifics.

"Tell us more about the effects. What were they?" Bellwether's response was tentative, and it was obvious that she had recollected the bits of her spine she had strewn around the room at the mention of Savage's name.

"There were many, and I don't think I remember them all. But I do know where you can find all of mine and Dr. Nitz's data, unaltered and unscathed." She dropped, the lure too much to be ignored. At the suggestion, Judy knew it was bargaining phase, and immediately sighed.

"Okay Bellwether, what do you want?" She queried, not dropping a hint of an emotion with the question. At her lack of expression, the sheep became nervous, glancing at the fox and then back to the rabbit, and then answered quickly.

"I want a high security room. And a cellmate, one that doesn't hate me. And I want a hot plate, so I can heat up my food and tea." Judy glanced at Nick, their eyes meeting to convey the wonder of whether or not they would be able to actually meet her demands. Before they could answer though, the door behind them opened, and Pawtorias answered for them.

"Done. Now where is the research?" The large grey wolf asked. At the sight, Bellwether jumped, and without even registering what he said, she gave them the information, no restraint in her voice.

"A small house at 1955 Cypress Grove Lane! There's a keypad security system, the code is 22-39-16-55-5!" Her skittishness went almost completely unnoticed by the two detectives, while her jumpy nature almost got Sif to laugh. As they had seemingly got everything they wanted, Judy stopped her recorder, and looked up at her fox and the large wolf with a smile, before turning back to the frightened sheep and thanked her.

"Well thank you, _Dr._ Bellwether, that will be very helpful. Now, we'll let you get back to your room, as you probably have some packing to do." She said with a condescending grin, the convict unable to coherently speak. Just as she and Nick had gotten out of the room, she shouted after them, wanting verbal assurances now.

"So you're not going to release the fox on me, right? They're not going to be coming here, are they?" The question filled the air with her obvious fear, and Judy turned, even more pleased with herself than before, her little act ready for reveal.

"Oh, don't worry, she isn't coming here. In fact, she's the reason we know you were connected in the first place, and now that we have your confession, she can go into witness protections while we have a judge throw another couple of years at you for harming a minor and assisted kidnapping, not to mention crimes against Mammalian kind." Her grin grew with every word, and Bellwether's face first went to surprise, then horror, then undaunting anger, as she heard the rabbit explain everything. Each expression change got a chuckle from the russet fox, and by the end of it, even Pawtorias was smirking. They closed the door as the defunct mayor as she started screaming expletives, and they quickly left the prison, heading to their next lead.

* * *

The smaller than average wolf stood, hidden in the shadows of the alleyway, glancing around nervously. Out of thicker shadows a long, black sword lunged at him, missing him narrowly. The large fox with his paw on the hilt seemed to materialize out of the darkness, pinning the wolf to the wall behind him as the point of the slightly curved crossguard poked his chest and the blade dug itself deeper into the brick wall his back was up against.

"H-hey El-Eleazar. What took you so long?" Charlie gulped, the fear in his eyes more than apparent. Eleazar responded with a quiet growl, and a lack of anger on his face, showing little real hostility, asides from the drawn blade. Charlie gulped, trying to get a hold of the fear, and started up again.

"Look, if you would just back off a little bit, I have all the info you want. Could you just put away the weapon?" He asked cautiously, and without hesitation the fox complied, pulling the sword free from the wall and sheathing it again. Breathing a sigh of relief, Charlie began to relay all of the info to his vulpine acquaintance.

"Well, it looks like my group was hired by a panda named Jack Black. I'm not exactly sure why he wanted you two so badly, but he has had a lot of dealings with Savage and Vartini before, so I'm not surprised he wanted to get at you. Was willing to pay an obscene amount of money, too." He explained, getting nothing but a nod from the fox. Clearing his throat, he tiptoed into his next comments.

"Also, the bear has a raid planned for a big target tomorrow." The sentence prompted Eleazar to ask for more details.

"What's the target?" His facade dropped for a moment when the wolf answered him, sending chills down his spine.

"ZPD HQ, Precinct 1. I'm guessing that's where your sister is being held, right?" Charlie guessed correctly, much to his own detriment. As he posited the information, the vulpine became scared for the first time in his life, the chills that he felt at first growing and spreading. In desperation, his mind went through all the ways he could slice the wolf in front of him to bits, ribbons, giblets, or other assorted gorey bits before he regained control of his faculties. The wolf in front of him stared at him in anticipation, wondering what was going through his head. When Eleazar finally spoke up, his nerves slowed and eased.

"You're coming with me. We need a car. Do you know how many of them there will be?" He asked, his preceding two sentences having the calming effect on the slightly larger canine.

"My guess is twenty guys, give or take a handful. I doubt they'll be anymore dangerous than my group was." He offered, getting nothing but a nod from the vulpine alpha. The fox turned around, walking back into the shadows as he clipped the longsword back onto his back, allowing Charlie catch up as they quickly left the scene.

* * *

Pawtorias sat in the back of the large car, glad to be at his table in his vehicle again. In the front sat Nick and Judy, Judy at the wheel with Nick in the passenger seat munching on a pawpsicle. The two of them still had no idea where he had gotten it from, but they didn't really care. Sif was busy thinking about the case and Judy was too focused on the pleasure of being behind the wheel again to really notice the oddity in the common sight.

"Seriously, Carrots, it was what? Two times? Three? You drove just a couple days ago, why are you so giddy about driving now?" The russet fox asked, with Judy simply shrugging and laughing in exhilaration in response, prompting an exasperated eye-roll from her curious lover. When the tires finally hit gravel, Sif's head darted up, looking out the window. The grassy hills and dirt rode signaled how far outside the city they were, and up ahead was a small, contemporary style house, the sleek look out of place in the countryside. They pulled up without a word, an odd feeling of suspense building up as they walked up to the door.

"Wait, we don't know what traps might be hidden here, so let me go first." He stepped up to the door, ignoring the slight protests from the two detectives. His claw tapped the numbers in order, and they listened carefully as a quiet slide and click told them the door was unlocked. Slowly, the agent opened the door, and scanning the room it opened up to for any dangers. It was dark, too dark for him to see anything, but Nick found it more than easy to see in the setting sunny, and brushed past him and into the house.

"Well Stiff, you sure got us all worried for no reason. There's nothing to be afraid of here." He said as he continued into the house, with the wolf and Judy following suit. They spent the next hour searching the building for anything that might have the data they were looking for, and towards the end of that hour, Pawtorias thought he found it.

"HEY! I found something!" He shouted to the rest of the house, and waited as the two detective came into the room. Together they stared at the large safe he had pulled out of the closet, having pulled the blankets and clothes off of it. After standing there studying the metal box, Nick spoke up.

"Well, open it?" He gestured to the safe, looking up at the wolf.

"I can't."

"What? You're a special agent! Do the cool lock picking thing and open it!" Nick argued, baffled at the idea that Pawtorias might not be able to actually open the safe.

"I don't know how to pick a lock. I've never had to. I'm always either bashing down the door or stealing the key. I guess we can load it up and - Judy?" Sif started to defend himself, and come up with another avenue for them, as Judy pulled out her lockpick set and got to work. With the final _click_ of the latch releasing, she smiled and looked up at her canine companions, who just stared at her quizzically.

"Well, if I were to do anything immoral with a lock, which I haven't, then I would need to know how to pick it at least, wouldn't I?" She grinned as she opened the door. Inside lay a stack of CD's, a thick binder, and a bundle of letters wrapped together with yarn, the initials "N.N." written delicately on the center of each one (supposedly). Acting quickly, they grabbed the lot of it, and moved back to the car.

"And now the truth will out, as they say." Pawtorias said as they began to delve into the binder and CD's, searching for the answers to the Fauxfang mystery.

* * *

 **Wow, sorry for the long wait guys. I did not realize so many truths of the world, like how fun philosophy was or how addicting Fallout 4 can be... anywho, I'm giving up Fallout for a while, and while I _adore_ my philosophy class, I don't have to do much for it, so it won't be taking up too much of my time going forwards.**

 **Big thanks to Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps and ultamantman for your reviews, and a _massive_ thanks to Libious for your behemoth of a review. I'll definitely using your critique and suggestions (along with others) in my upcoming overhaul of earlier chapters. **

**I don't know when I'll be uploading my next chapter, but it will be much sooner than this previous wait. So please, read and review, it'll only speed up the release of the next chapter by keeping me motivated.**

 **Also, shout out to my other story, "Buried Secrets", and Morguerat's story "The Coming Storm". His is a great story with far too few followers or readers and deserves some attention, and "Buried Secrets" is a story developed by myself and Mr. Dox the Fox to go off the beaten path for Zootopian fanfics.**


	22. Chapter 18

"And listen here to some of Nitz's notes: " _unlike the previous subjects, who displayed a steep drop in cognitive function for either a highly aggressive behavioural set or a baser pack mentality, F1 and F2 exhibited increases in BOTH baser pack mentality and higher cognitive functions_ ". Do you realize what that means? If Lucia and Eleazar began to display the basic levels of a pack mentality, then that could explain why they were so easily forced into 'allying' with Arkous. They simply wouldn't have been able to overcome the instinct, especially if they didn't know about the effects of the serum they were being given. They were aware of the increase in aggression, intelligence, and reaction times, as they were far more noticeable, but the submissiveness would've gone completely under the radar." Nick exclaimed as they were pulling into the warehouse that he called home.

"That should be obvious to you. The more important question is if there is anyway to reverse it. Does Nitz's notes touch on any akin to restoring their minds to how they were originally?" Pawtorias asked, sifting through Bellwether's notes, annoyed with how little she had cared to write down. Nick's response disheartened the group even further, as they placed their take-out and the rest of the documents on the upstairs table, Nick holding the relevant journal entry.

" _July 30th; thankfully, not all of my time is overseen by that canine monstrosity. During his absence this weekend I was able to procure the lab to test on Lucia. She's seems the far more resilient one, so I had hoped to begin to reverse whatever damage I and Dawn had done. Blast, why didn't I recognize it sooner? The chemical didn't just affect their thinking like it did the others; it rewired their brains entirely. I had to administer and emergency respondent agent to flush the antidote out of her system. It seems to have turned into a sort of neurotoxin for them, whatever chemical component of the nighthowler serum it responded to must have bonded and integrated itself into their brains. Any attempt to remove it_ …," Nick stopped, his voice faltering for a second. His two companions glanced up at him as his old hustler mask came on, allowing him to finish the sentence, "... _will undoubtedly result in brain-death._ " The fox put down the personal journal entry as the weight of the statement fell over the room. The fox put down the journal, wrapping his mind around what he had just read. Judy watched him, and as the book touched the table, made her way to his side. The silence was interrupted by their wolfish friend, who began reading a page out of Bellwether writings.

" _August 3rd: Progress has been startling the past couple of days. Their neural adaptations seem to now be accompanied by other physiological changes. Unlike previous test subjects, they are to be gaining muscle mass, not just streamlining what they already have. Metabolism speed has increased, and overall efficiency seems to have increased as well. Chemical response times (as measured both by PET scans and reflex testing) have both markedly improved. Continued testing is required, causes seem to be unapparent_ ," Pawtorias put down the paper, turning his attention to Nick and Judy, who had fixated on him in return. He followed up with his own analysis, "it seems that they've become walking super soldiers. That would explain why they are so good at what they do. Not only are they highly trained fighters and incredibly intelligent, with the sensory perceptions of a fox for night vision and highly attuned hearing, with faster reflexes and processing times, and the subservience due to the deeply seeded pack mentality, you've got yourself the perfect operatives here. No wonder he kitnapped them. If he knew about this from the start, then he was after them as weapons, not just blackmail." Sif posited, a look of disgust on his face. The feeling bloomed on Nick's as well. Before they could get too heated though, Judy had a question that stopped the thought in its tracts.

"But did he know about it? According to the documents, these results were completely unexpected. Previous testing didn't show anything like this, he had no reason to believe that this would happen. This couldn't have been his motive." She tempered the enthusiasm. However, Pawtorias begged to differ.

"So are you saying this is just a coincidence? That he obtains two trained, intelligent foxes, on a whim decides to do experiments on them, and then happily gets all of these side-effects to take advantage of?" The wolf growled. He couldn't exactly argue her logic, but some part of him refused to see the missing connection. However, before Judy could respond, Nick butted in, refusing to let a back and forth start.

"We're missing something. There is something more here that simply hasn't come up yet. Arguing over what it is though is only going to waste time." While Judy was more that accepting of his interruption, Pawtorias was not.

"Well what else are we going to do? As far I can tell, we don't have anything else to do. Eleazar won't be popping up for a while, Lucia is in custody, and Arkous is nowhere to be found. We're playing the waiting game until tomorrow at least, as it's too late to interrogate her again." Sif argued, trying to pull them back into the conversation. Judy replied hough, taking him off subject with a separate line of questions.

"Well, if we don't have anything to do, then might we find out where you went, and where our car might be?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and getting an approvingly curious look from the red fox next to her, a look that soon came to rest on the grey wolf. As he realized he wasn't about to get out of it, Sif sighed, resigned to their gazes.

"A couple months ago I discovered the whereabouts of the Springslink family. Since I was here, and they were close enough, I decided to pay them a visit." He revealed. At the mention, Nick silently gasped, awe coming over his face. His expression only served to confuse Judy even more than the seemingly important name did, and before she could ask, Sif explained to her who they were so Nick could enjoy his brief trip down memory lane.

"The Springslink family were a pair of cheetahs that worked for the Fauxfang household. Reika Springslink was the Head Librarian, Keeper of Records in the old family library. Krava, her husband, was Lord Fauxfang's personal assistant. Most believed him only a butler, but he was more that that to those that knew Lord Xalas. They are the stewards of Lord Xalas's estate." Sif elaborated, an implication hanging in the air. It hit Judy only a fraction of a second later what that meant. As soon as her face displayed her understanding, the middle-aged wolf pulled out an envelope from the inside of his jacket, the old-timey wax stamp seal a deep green, imprinted with the Fauxfang emblem.

"You must've made quite an impression on that old cat, because she knew the moment I thought about you that I had found you. And despite trying to hide her feelings, I could tell she was pleased you were stepping up." The predator handed Nick the letter. Nick gently held it in his paw, tracing the fibers of the paper with his claw. Judy only had a guess what lay inside, but it was a pretty good one.

"Trinkets from the old family are easy enough to acquire on the black market, and skills aren't exclusive to any family. That though, will identify you as the rightful heir."

 _Holy crap on a cracker…_

* * *

"I know you're this badass fox and everything, but I don't think this is a good idea. You might be a kung fu master, but I'm not. I'm just smarter than most idiots. Why are you bringing me along?" Charlie blabbered, fear and anxiety very apparent in his voice. Eleazar sat next to him silently, their vehicle parked in an alley just a few blocks from Precinct 1. The pitch black fox wasn't sure what had made his timid and reluctant ally so scared, but he wasn't really bothering to ask questions. The sun had set more than an hour ago, so he had been expecting the canine to go to sleep, to no avail. However, something about the wolf, despite to irksome pestering, kept the killer from getting too… irked.

"We're going to need a getaway driver, and you said you could do it. Besides, you've shown your loyalty, and with all likelihood the rest of your former boss's gang is going to die after tomorrow. I prefer to keep assets alive." Eleazar said, his monotonous voice neither helping nor deteriorating the moral of the situation.

"Yeah, I can drive. But I don't feel like being shot at by a bunch of cops while doing so. And you realize they're going to have her under heavy guard, right? I would be surprised if you get in there at all, but get out? Please tell me you're not going to be relying on luck." The timber wolf kept kept on.

"In my experience there is no such thing as luck." The fox responded with a slight twitch to the corner of his mouth. There was a pause in the conversation, the 'larger' canine trying to think. He glanced at the vulpine, the wheels in his head spinning, and then spoke up, continue his questions.

"But you can't really be thinking of going in there. Between the cops, gang members, built in security features of the building, and the location, the odds of getting out alive are astronomical." Eleazer's reply came out so fluidly and perfectly it was obvious he had been waiting to use it, another twitch pulling at his lips.

"Never tell me the odds." The one-liner got a cackle from the nervous wolf, the laughter a much needed break t the seriousness of the previous hour of waiting.

"I thought you were quoting those movies! So you aren't just a crazy mass-murdering psychopath after all." He managed to get out the words as his laughter began to die down, only for Eleazar to turn to him, and slowly deadpan a single, drawn out word.

"Obviously." The impression erupted the wolf into a second wave of raucous laughter, permanently killing the uneasy mood they (or, well, he) had been in since meeting the fox earlier.

* * *

Nick was laying back against the impromptu headboard of his improvised bed, obsessing over the letter in his hand. Pawtorias had told him it probably didn't matter what was inside, and that he could open it and read the contents if he wanted to. And he truly did. He just couldn't get himself to do so. As his paw traced the wax seal, his ears flickered to the bunny stepping into the room, her shower finally over. For a second she stood in the doorway drying off, before making her way over to the bed and slipping into her night shirt and shorts. Had so many other important thing not happened that day, she would've never had the courage to simply step naked into Nick's room, but seeing as they had and he seemed a bit preoccupied at the moment, she felt more than willing to do so. As she crawled into bed, she looked up at him, her big amethyst eyes looking over his far-sighted expression. After a few seconds though, she noticed the light hints of worry and anxiety that he was trying to hide. Matching his similarly barely worry touched face, she spoke up, hoping to ease her obviously upset mate.

"What's wrong Nick?" Her voice was quiet, but the sweetness and light joy that she usually bore was still there. Despite his unsettled emotions, he managed to put on a near perfect hustler's facade, a face that got a genuine smile from her, despite being able to see through it easily.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Carrots. Why would anything be wrong?" His half-hearted attempted at a lie was adorable to her, and got a giggle in response.

"Oh come on, I hope you don't think that's going to work on me. That even Wolford could've seen through that lie." She chuckled as he rubbed his neck in partial embarrassment, partial smitten-ness.

"I guess that was pretty bad. Not really my best right now I guess…" he trailed off as he went back to staring at the letter in his paw. They laid in silence for a while, Nick not knowing how to open up, and Judy not realizing his dilemma. But curiosity was a powerful catalyst, and her next question gave him the segway he needed.

"Why won't you open it? You must be dying to see what's inside, read what they wrote about you." She asked, dying to read what they wrote about him. His answer surprised her, as the cooly calm facade cracked, revealing the angst underneath.

"How can you ask that? I AM _dying_ to know! I've been running from this for so long I don't know how to stop! Every night I have dreams about just taking everything, even that mutt downstairs, throwing them all in the chest, and locking it all up again! What if this letter calls me the coward I am? What if I'm making a huge mistake? My life was pretty good up until all of this; I don't need it. How can you be so calm about it? How-" His next question was promptly silenced, a deep, heartfelt kiss meeting his lips. It was hard for him to stay so negative through such a powerfully positive embrace, and he took to it immediately, letting the thoughts that plagued him melt away. As the kiss came to an end, she pulled away slowly, her response ready.

"That letter won't call you a coward because you're not; you know how to stop running because you already have; you won't lock up the chest again because you've already opened it and thrown away the key. Nick, don't you see? You're afraid of the things you've already done. There's no reason to be afraid of the things you've already done, now is there?" She spoke, well above a whisper, drawing on the resolve she normally reserved for dealing with underestimating suspects. And it worked. Mostly.

"But how are you so okay with this? I'm not even really okay with all of this. Doesn't this change things?" He asked, true worry, terrified, looming, wound up worry breaking into his voice. Just then it hit her why he would be worried about it changing things between them. Money. Wealth. Power. Romantic pasts. A lot was, or would be, much different.

"Hahahaha!" She laughed, stupefying the fox. The bunny's hard laughter kept on for a solid minute, turning Nick's expression from honestly confused to obviously annoyed. When she was able to compose herself, she wiped the laughter based tears that were growing from her eyes, and smiled up at his frowning face, utter joy and amazement in hers.

"How can someone so smart be such a dumb fox? Listen here slick;" she said, grabbing his face and pulling him to her, "I loved you before this began, I'll love you the same way through it, and I'll love you no matter how it ends. Your past made you who you are. I wouldn't change a second of it, because to do so would change you, and I would give up that uniform and badge before I saw any bit of you changed in anyway. I fell in love with _you_. And nothing, nothing at all, is going to change that, got it?" She declared sternly, getting a slightly scared fox in reaction. At her conclusion though, he dropped the scared look, relief washing over his face. With that he tossed the envelope to the end of their bed, pulled his bunny in for a deep hug, and allowed them both to promptly fall asleep with their future together on their minds.

* * *

Lucia sat in her cell, blood red eyes scanning the pitch black area, looking for what disturbed her sleep. Not like the sleep had been very peaceful, but something had to snap her out of it. It was much earlier than she was used to, with the sun still well below the horizon. The night traffic was dying down though, so she put the time around 3 a.m. Her ears twitched, listening intently to everything but her own heartbeat and breathing, a quick sniff to take in the scents, her eyes wide open, the darkness not even a passing thought for her well attuned night-vision. But no matter how hard she searched, she could find anything; nothing was amiss. At least, nothing externally. After she was sure nothing outside had woken her, she realized what had, the deep-seated malice and subduing feeling that had long hounded her, was simply not there anymore. The weight on her shoulders wasn't just lifted but it was as if it had never been there. For a moment, the white vixen began to panic; what had been her prime motivation was now gone, like taking a wagon horse and thrusting it back into the wild without warning, and no tools or know how to survive. As she began hyperventilating, her mind delved deep, trying to figure out why it had gone, why she was free of it.

 _Wait… I'm free of it. I'm free…_ the lone thought shattered her worries, and her breaths turned into semi-insane cackling. _That bastard won't know what hit him… once I get out of here of course…_

* * *

Clawhauser sat at his desk, the early morning sun shining a light like a spotlight on his box of doughnuts. He had just sat down, watching the doors to the pit close as he went over the docket with the rest of the officers when hell broke loose. All at once, 12 of the 19 silent alarms were triggered, and calls started pouring in.

"What the- what's going on?" The cheetah exclaimed, trying to take as many calls as possible.

"Dispatcher Clawhauser, who's this-" _"Who's this? Did the alarm sound? We need back up at the ZNB on Harelooms avenue! Someone just blew up the front-"_ gun shots silenced the line, and as Clawhauser picked up three of the remaining 30+ (and growing) calls, his eyes went wide with horror. Getting up from his seat, he ran over to the pit doors, bursting in, interrupting Bogo's docket summary.

"Clawhauser? What's the meaning of this?" He barked, irritated at the intrusion.

"Emergency (pant)... the alarms… all of them… going berserk… Chief, it's a mad house out there!" It was in that moment the food loving officer decided to go on a diet.

"What? What are you talking about, Clawhauser?" Bogo's irritation died down, but it was obvious he still didn't understand. Taking a big gulp, Clawhauser just barely managed to blurt out a coherent, explanatory sentence.

"Sir, nearly everything's being blown up! I have 30 calls from more than 12 active situations right now!" The dispatcher pointed back to his desk. The sentence finally made it clear to Bogo, snapping him to action;

"Everyone, gear up and get to your squad cars! The moment you get there, check in with Clawhauser for a destination and situation! Move move move! Clawhauser," his fast orders got everyone moving, the officers darting out the door to the armory. Clawhauser looked at Bogo, waiting for his explicit orders.

"I want you to contact T.U.S.K. command and authorize a code black! Tell them to patch all other dispatchers to my desk, I'll feed you further information!" He shouted over everyone, and ran out the back entrance towards his office. When he got up to it, he swung open the door to give more orders to the two officers inside already.

"Juniper, Honey, we have a code black. I know you came here just for some paperwork and debriefs, but right now I'm placing you two in charge of locking down Miss Fauxfang. Understood?" The leopard and badger's eyes went wide, before steeling themselves and nodding.

"Yes sir. We'll have lock down initiated ASAP." Juniper said as he pulled the badger with him out of the office. Taking the second of calm, Bogo started calling VIPs, making sure the Mayor, his cabinet, and other high ranking officials were safe. After he was done, he got the important call from T.U.S. .

" _Chief Bogo, code black has been authorized. A command center has been made available for you here."_ The boar's voice was gruff and low, and the chief understood it perfectly. Grabbing his gun from the safe under his desk, he hurried out the door, heading towards his emergency command station.

"They picked the wrong day to piss me off…" he growled as he drove off from Precinct 1, his grip on the steering wheel nearly breaking it.

* * *

Just as Bogo was leaving, Pawtorias, Nick, and Judy were walking up to the building, boxes of files under arms and in hands, joking pleasantly about this that and the other thing. As they pulled open the door, they saw one of the most troubling signs on the planet; Clawhauser's desk was a maelstrom of work, as he went from call to call jotting down notes, reorganizing unit placement maps, and barking orders over the coms.

"Woah, what's going on there Spots? We leave for a couple days and all hell breaks loose?" Nick asked, a frown growing over Sif's face and Judy staring at all the work, a sinking feeling forming.

"You guys have no idea. Right before roll call everything just went insane. 30 plus calls from pretty much everywhere, all with the same situation; militant using improvised explosives and firearms to blow in the front wall, and start firing at the guards inside. The banks on Pen, F.D. Rawr, and Hooves are practically war zones, and don't even get me started on the gem exchange 16th is completely overrun with not just combatants, but looters and civilians too. Chief put in a code black just 10 minutes ago, I think he's heading to the emergency command center right now." Clawhauser explained, getting gasped from the two detectives.

"Oh my- we have to get out there! Nick c'mon!" Judy shouted, only for Sif to stop her.

"Clawhauser, how many officers are here right now?" He asked, getting an even more worried face from the smaller mammals. Swallowing hard, Clawhauser answered between two more calls.

"Umm, looks like just Sargent Juniper and Honeylemon, from Precinct 3. Bogo had them here for paperwork, and when everything went down ordered them to put the cell block on lock down. Whyyyyy…" the large cheetah trailed off as a white gas engulfed him, knocking him out. Waiting for it to dissipate, they rushed over to his side, trying to snap him out of it, only for a second plume to knock them out too, rendering them unconscious for the explosion that tore apart the wall they had just been standing by.

* * *

 **I'M BACK, BITCHES! Well, hopefully. This feeling of calm might break any moment, so let's hope it lasts long enough for writing to take over my life nearly completely. Personal problems are, for better or worse, being put on the back burner, so let's get through this. Thank you for your patience with my abysmal upload time, I promise to try harder at uploading the next one quickly as an apology.**

 **This is the second to last chapter for Act 2, with a long one coming up next.**

 **It goes almost without saying that Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps, ultamantman, and 'Guest' (accounts are free, why you no have account) are getting huge thank yous for reviewing, it really does mean a lot. Similarly large and oddly misshapen (don't ask why they're misshapen, it's a long story) to An Adrift Dream, who PMed me about my story, and whose attention and words of motivation really struck home, after I dug myself out of my personal pit. Thank you.**


	23. Chapter 19

Eleazar sat in the rafters high above the entrance to the precinct, watching the mammals below him succumb to the mist of the gas mine hidden in the vents in the cheetah's desk. Clawhaust? Something like that. As they fell over, he also had a prime view of the entrance being shattered by a clumsy, homemade pipe bomb.

" _From my estimation, you'll only have a 6 minutes to deal with the intruders before the other two officers make their way there. And I'm guessing they'll be backing some heavy weapons."_ Charlie's advisement came over loud and clear through his earpiece. The wolf was in their van outside, watching the cameras and hidden microphones Eleazar and Lucia had placed throughout the building earlier that month. Had someone told him at the the time that he would be having a wolf watch them to better deal with someone else's break in of the building he would've laughed. Or, at least huffed. But as he had just used his highly expensive knock-out cocktail to save four law officer's lives, he realized just how out of the ordinary these last few days were.

"Charlie, I don't want to have to deal with both of them on my way back to Lucia. Preferably just the leopard." He said as he stood up, his precarious position over the heads of the gangster becoming all the more dangerous. To them of course.

" _Um, what do you want me to do about that?"_

"The computer you're at has access to the building's automated systems. Distract her. Break something. Have fun." His reply was almost dripping with sarcasm. In response, the lone wolf let out a frustrated growl, and as he did, Eleazar dropped from his position, falling on and crushing a raccoon under his feet. The sickening crunch and garbled scream alerted his allies to the threat, but not quick enough. Before they had turned around completely, he launched a flurry of throwing knives at the group, most hitting the heads of their targets, downing them instantly. Three rodents and a badger down, all that remained were two very large cats. The tigers, angered by the death of nearly all their comrades, roared and jumped at him, thinking their greater size would bring him down. They were sadly mistaken, as their size did nothing to protect their skulls from the hand cannon he pulled out of his back holster. With the gangsters dead, he reholstered it and quickly jogged away from the scene, ready to deal with the next encounter.

* * *

Juniper and Honeylemon had just sat finished strapping on their advanced riot gear when the explosion shook the building, catching their full attention.

"What the hell was that?" Honey's concern and surprise was evident. Trying to listen up, Juniper remained quiet for a second, and then got on the radio.

"Clawhauser? Clawhauser what was that?" The silence on the comm was deafening. The pair glanced at each other, terrified for a second, and then Juniper kicked into gear.

"Come on, we have to check it out. If they're breaking in here two, then we have to try and hold them as far away from the cell block as possible. Got it?" He voiced, snapping the fear out of his partner's eyes and getting a cool ready response in turn. As they started off down the hall, he pulled out his cell phone and called the Chief, hoping Bogo would pick up. Luckily, he did.

" _What's happening up there Juniper? Clawhauser has gone silent, and I still don't have word from Pawtorias, Hopps, or Wilde."_ His gruff and irritated tone was barely clear enough to understand over the background sound of the emergency HQ.

"Sir, we have a problem. An explosion has just rocked the building, and we think it might have something to do-" just then, their belt alarms started going off, the beeping and red lights attracting their attention. Pulling out her monitor, Honey tracked the source, and showed it to the feline; a motion sensor was tripped in the detention cells, not too far from Lucia's special cell.

"Oh crap… Honey, go check that out and stay up on the comms. I'll get to the front and see to the situation there. Chief, I know you're dealing with a warzone out their, but if you don't send back up, Then this little army of two is going to be screwed!" He shouted as he booked it down the hall, with Honey running in the opposite direction.

* * *

Honey ran through the corridors, her submachine gun tight in her hands. The adrenaline was heavy in her veins as she sprinted into the detainment block. As she turned a corner, she raised her weapon and looked around, hoping to quickly capture whoever tripped the alarm. The cells were empty, and there were no signs of movement. Grabbing her radio, she clicked the button, keeping to orders.

"Juniper, I'm at the cell block. No one here as far as I can see. The door to Lucia's detainment area is still sealed, so, I don't think anyone has gotten in. Please advise, over." She told him, listening to the low crackling for his response.

" _Copy that. I'm engaging some intruders on this side. Please do a quick sweep and double back ASAP. Over."_ His calm voice gave an interesting tone to the statement, one that could've sent her wild had the situation been slightly different. But she ignored it for a second, and walked down the hall a few extra paces. It was only when she was a few steps from the hallway leading to the emergency exit did anything change. The lights began to flicker, a suddenly her ears were assaulted with the alarms sounding. Dropping her gun, her hands shot up to her ears, trying to block out the noise. As she did, the detainee suppression systems came on, pumping tear gas into the hallway. Trying to avoid it, she ducked into the side hallway leading to the emergency exit, running to escape the trap. However, once she did, the sounds and lights came back to normal, and behind her, the automatic bulkhead sealed shut, as well as the door leading out of the building. _Oh crap…_

"Damnit damnit damnit! Juniper! They have someone hacked into the building's security systems! He trapped me in a side hallway. Be advised, I also dropped my gun by the doorway. Over." She grasped into a her radio, waiting through the background of crackles and static for his reply. Which didn't come.

 _Double crap…_

* * *

Juniper ran down the hallway, his assault rifle bouncing in his hands as he made his way to the front of the building. When he turned a corner, he stopped cold, raising his weapon to aim at the midnight fox standing in front of him. The fox also had a gun pointed at him, the large pistol easily capable of tearing straight through his riot gear.

"Put your paws where I can see them!" He hissed, hoping to take the vulpine peacefully. His command was met with a cold stare, and equally cold response.

"No." The black fox said quite simply. At a stalemate, they stared at each other, until he sighed and spoke again.

"Look, we both have our objectives. Currently, we're in each other's ways, and this stalemate isn't doing either one of us any good. So, if we can't settle this with guns, then how about we just put them down?" His monotonous voice betrayed neither sincerity nor deceit, so the leopard merely scowled in reply. However, after another second, he decided to agree, and tossed his gun away, with the fox doing the same.

"You're an odd one, for an assassin. Care to explain why you decided to blow up half the city?" He asked, watching the the smaller canine pull out two partially serrated knives.

"Oh, I have nothing to do with the city's current predicament. That's an adversary's doing. An enemy of both of us. Don't worry though, I took care of the few heading here." His nonchalance gave Juniper a feeling of trust in the vulpine, despite the situation. At that moment, Honey's voice came crackling over the radio, catching both of the males' attentions.

" _Juniper, I'm at the cell block. No one here as far as I can see. The door to Lucia's detainment area is still sealed, so, I don't think anyone has gotten in. Please advise, over."_ With an expectant gaze, the fox shrugged, signalling permission to answer the transmission. Grabbing his radio, he responded as simply as he could, not wanting to scare the assassin but not exactly hiding anything either.

"Copy that. I'm engaging some intruders on this side. Please do a quick sweep and double back ASAP. Over." His calm voice with holding the heart thumping nerves in his chest. Putting the device back on his belt, he pulled out his knife, the military design cool and simple.

"You realize you can't win, right? I've taken down guys that make you look smaller than a mouse, and special ops marines with more years of training than nearly everyone in this building combined. Leaving out the ZSIS agent back there of course." The fox stated. Juniper wasn't sure he was trying to scare him or get him riled up, but either way, he shrugged it off. Instead, he threw something back, hoping for a reaction in exchange.

"Well, let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is. Staff Sergeant Jacob Juniper, 34th North Timberlands Division. Recruited into the counter-insurgency unit for notable paw-to-paw combat skills and high mission success rate. 6 years of total deployment. If you think you can take me on, then bring it." He said as he fell into a fighting stance. As he finished his spiel, the fox raised his eyebrows, obviously impressed.

"Here I thought the only ones who could give me a challenge were those three lying by the front desk. Well, this might've be some fun after all." The past tense verbiage caught Juniper off for a second, and then the alarms went off. While they were far away, the fraction of a second it distracted him was more than enough for the fox. In that moment, he threw one of his knives, plunging it into a weak spot in the leopard's armour, just under the sternum. Shocked, the officer dropped his own knife, the pain overriding his thoughts for a second too long. As he staggered, his canine opponent ran up to him, and in two swift punches, knocked out the feline, letting him collapse to the floor.

* * *

Eleazar looked at the downed officer, the current sheath for one of his blades. _If I remove it, he will bleed out… he might bleed out regardless…_ that thought on mind, then down the hallway, he glanced down at the officer, and turned back to his main objective, forsaking his weapon for to help a roll of the dice.

* * *

Pawtorias felt consciousness return, slowly at first, then all at once. Hefting himself to his feet, he sniffed the air. Whatever had knocked them out seemed to affect the others more than him, as they were still soundly knocked out. Quickly grabbing the radio by Clawhauser's paw, he he nearly had to shout to get over the chatter.

"This is agent Sif Pawtorias of the ZSIS. Be advised; Precinct one breached, explosives and belligerents on site. Need backup and medical aide now!" He barked into the mic. Not bothering to wait for a response, he put the transmitter down and looked over at the entrance, the shattered glass and rubble littering the area. But what caught his attention of course were the corpses strewn about. The viciousness of the kills, all either wounds to the head or crush force, signaled only one mammal possibly responsible. _So, you were sent after your sister… why am I not surprised. Hmm… if he came down from the rafters, that means he was in here when they entered. Got here before they did. Which means he probably has an escape vehicle nearby. One that he will either use to escape or will leave to do so, and knows where he's been… let's find it…_ Sif thought as he looked around for a map. Finding one of the precinct on Clawhauser's computer, he made his way to the parking lot closest to the emergency exit closest to Lucia's cell, hoping to be one step ahead this time.

* * *

Lucia could hear the commotion, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. _Is it a rescue? Maybe, but don't get your hopes up too much._ She only had to wait another minute before she was reassured that it was, in fact, a rescue. When the cell door opened, and she saw Eleazar face, she jumped up, not with the psychotic glee she usually bore, but one far more controlled and sane.

"Finally! It's been _ages_! I've missed you!" She flung her arms around him, catching him by surprise. He responded with a quick hug, and then spoke, his usual monotonous voice slightly disheartening her.

"I have an escape planned. Let's go." He said as he stepped back, and ran down the corridor. Not wanting to be left behind, she followed suit, a certain weight to her steps though. As they came up to a sealed door, she heard her brother speaking, but not to her.

"Is the badger still in here? Hn. Alright. I have something. Just get the car started. I don't want to overstay our welcome." He ordered. Lucia didn't miss a beat, immediately jumping on the oddity.

"Got yourself a new partner already? I'm hurt."

"He's a tempt. Charlie's been loyal, might as well use him." The name got a slight smile from the vixen, glad that her generosity had helped in the long run. When the bulkhead in front of them unsealed, Eleazar opened the door, kicking the submachine gun at their feet away and out of sight of the badger that was revealed behind it. The smaller officer grabbed her baton, ready for a fight. However, Eleazar wasn't in the mood, and stopped her before she could start swinging.

"Wait wait wait. No need for that. Look, instead of having her and I beat the crap out of you so we can escape, let's make a deal. I know something you might want to, and I don't want to waste time with a fight. So how about we trade; I tell you'll what you want to know, and you run off to deal with it and we run, hopefully fast enough to get out of here before your backup arrives. Deal?" The surprise on the two females' faces was more than apparent, but in a second the badger nodded and Lucia tried a bit harder to hide her astonishment. _Well, I'm not the only one who's changed…_

"Your partner, Jacob Juniper, is sitting against a wall bleeding out close to the front. There's also a trauma kit down the hall on the wall in the corner. If you run, you can get it and to him and most likely save his life. Was that good enough?" the question was answered with a wide eyed fear, followed by a moment of hesitation. As she glanced down the hall, he stood back, motioning her pass, and letting her dart away as fast as she could, grabbing the kit on her way down the corridor. With the officer made busy, the two assassins ran out the building, and jumped into the awaiting van, just as the sound of police sirens filled the air coming from the other side of the building. They got out of the back parking lot just in the nick of time, as a T.U.S.K. team came running out not a minute after backup pulled up in the front.

* * *

Pawtorias stood in the shadows of the parking lot, having found the perfect spot to hide and watch the van. The wolf inside had impressed him, almost catching onto his presence. He was able to avoid detection though, and hid just in time to see the foxes jump inside and drive off. As the T.U.S.K. team came out, he walked up to them, intent on taking control of the situation.

"Hallo, I'm agent Sif Pawtorias, from the ZSIS. The suspects got away unfortunately. What's backup looking like, officer?" He flashed his badge, getting a quick salute from the riot officer. The largest boar spoke up, his grumble of a voice matching his stout, thick stature.

"We managed to rally 10 T.U.S.K. operatives and three police units. Chief Bogo also managed to reroute two ambulances as well. The rest of my team of searching the building." Looking at the four boars, he huffed and marched inside, the pigs following close behind. Once inside again, he started giving orders.

"You and your team need to call in specialist. There are mines and gas traps in the ventilation system, and there was a breach of the cyber security of the building. Automated systems and surveillance were commandeered by the intruders. I suggest only retrieval teams be in the building. After your squad does a quick search, I want the precinct sealed off until it can be thoroughly swept for all explosives, monitoring devices, and other such nastiness, got it?" His barks were heard loud and clear, and the lead operative quickly relayed them over the local radio channel. As they got out to the ambulances, he saw Nick trying to coordinate the recently arrived officers and Judy was giving a statement to the press, which probably had been dying for a statement from police all morning, and getting one from the city's hero would make every front page headline, breaking news interruption, and hit the top of the charts for Zootube views in minutes. Just before the boar walked away from his side, he grabbed it's arm, and gave another command, this time a bit more discreet.

"Try to get a retrieval team down here ASAP. I want the network down and all current case files moved over to this address. It's a secure ZSIS location. Take administrative computers as well, and have them seal up the archives tight." He demanded, passing the mammal a card with the address on it. When the mammal walked away, he moved to listen in on Nick's orders.

"... And make sure those side streets are clear! The rest of you, set up roadblocks and sweep all the media and pedestrians out of the area. I want everything in a one block diameter clear or civilians, got it? That includes Detective Hopps's entourage." He made clear, letting the remaining officers get on with the tasks he had given them. As the 6 uniforms hurried to deal with his commands, he turned to Agent Pawtorias, who quickly gave him the rundown of what the wolf had ordered.

"This location is completely compromised for the time being. I ordered T.U.S.K. retrieval teams to get down here and move everything worth moving to a secure location held by the ZSIS. I'm going to get in touch with Bogo and have him meet us down there depending on the situation in the outskirts. The problems out there are probably dying down by now, but most of the force is undoubtedly going to be tied up with clean up duty. Also, if there's anything you need from the catacombs down stairs, I would get it now, as I also had the T.U.S.K. units set everything for a lockdown as well."

"Eh, I don't leave anything here. Never wanted to give chief buffalo butt the chance to get me on something. I'm having the uniforms go around and set up a perimeter, and get all these people out of here. I also had some of them check the surveillance tapes to see if-" Sif cut him off before he could finish the thought, interjecting what they both already knew.

"You know exactly who did it, and you know there won't be anything on the tapes. Eleazar is too smart for that." Chuckling, Nick put on his aviators and started munching on a pawpsicle stick, much to Pawtorias's confusion, before responding.

"Oh, I know that Stiff. I was wondering if we could catch you on tape sneaking around. Gotta get some sort of home video to remember all of this by. Besides, you got them tracked, don't you?" His smirk and comment got nothing but a scowl from the agent, who was used to being one step ahead of his partners. Pausing just a moment, before asking his question gave Nick more than enough time to answer it without the need to hear it.

"Oh, Judy and I guessed that's what you ran off to do when we woke up and you were nowhere to be seen. She was hoping to get the honours of stumping you later, but looks like I got to it first." He said as he walked to meet up with his favourite rabbit, who had just finished her interviews and questions. The barrage of personal questions though still hung in the air, which she decided to silence the best way possible; by grabbing her tod's tie and pulling him in for a deep kiss.

"Ugh, could you please just be straightforward with everyone? Save the media headache for the chief why don't you. Not to mention the rules against fraternization you're breaking." Sif growled as he walked over to the boxes of files they had brought with them, that had been moved to a patrol car. His comment didn't seem to phase the two mammals, until Judy was hit with the last part.

"Oh crap! I promised to tell Bogo when we worked everything out! He's going to be so pissed!" She said, the worry obvious as she grabbed a box. Nick took it in stride though, his calm and cocky attitude easing the smaller detective's worries.

"Oh calm down. Once all of this is over I doubt we'll have fraternization rules to worry about. We're on special assignment right now, which means the higher ups won't be trying to mess with us, and after that, there's a multi-bazillion dollar elephant in the room I have to straighten out with the city, so as far as I can see, we should be pretty above board." The meaning of his comment put her at ease, but his last phrase got a laugh from her.

"Nick, do you know what the term above board even means?" She asked as they got to Sif's car.

"No, but I know I haven't been so until now." His sarcasm got a healthy laugh from her, and sizable eyeroll from the wolf as they drove off.

* * *

Lucia sat in the back of the black, windowless van, her nerves a wreck, as she mentally prepared herself for what she was going to do. Despite the uneasiness she felt in her stomach, she gave no signs visibly about her mental state. The lack of eccentricity though tipped her brother off, who immediately took notice.

"What's wrong?" His stoney, cold voice caught her attention, breaking her internal conflict. Her deep red eyes flickered over to him, unsure of what to say. _Should I say anything? He noticed. Maybe…_

She shot down the idea after her eyes met his, and she recognized it. She could see the submission, masked faintly by the overcompensating veil of authority. The maybe was quickly squashed at this, and her resolve stiffened; neither strengthening nor breaking.

Her analysis was over in less than a fraction of a second, after which she cleared her throat and spoke up, "Nothing. Just… this experience has left it's mark. I don't know how to deal with it's ending." She said, the impartial truth easy enough to pass as the full thing. His eye of suspicion faded as he connected the dots she implied, and he let her be with a subtle nod. After that, they made their way in silence, the atmosphere deterring any further conversation.

* * *

With everything ready to move over to Precinct one's temporary new HQ, Pawtorias took a second to go over the morning's events. _So Eleazar was watching us, and knocked us out. Why didn't he let the gangsters deal with us? Less of a scene? Perhaps. Efficient. Then killed the other unwanted guests. What happened to the other officers?_ Wanting all the facts, he found Judy, who, luckily for him, was giving Bogo a quick debrief on everything that happened.

"From what I can tell sir, after we were knocked out, O.S. killed the belligerents. He then moved through the building, where he encountered Officer Juniper and incapacitated him. According to Honey, he sent her to deal with a motion tracker alarm on the other side of the detention block, which turned out to be a false alarm by a hacker, where she was unfortunately rendered unarmed and trapped. When O.S. and M.S. arrived at her location, they told her of Officer Juniper's condition, and instead of engaging, she went to his aide. The suspects then promptly escaped through an awaiting vehicle, with their remote access deleting any footage of their escape or escape vehicle." When she finished, Bogo couldn't help but rub his eyes, stress obviously getting him. Before he could speak up, Pawtorias interrupted, his thought process already stumped.

"Something is different. What's Juniper's current condition?"

"He's stable, but under constant supervision. The wound wasn't immediately life threatening, but had the trauma kit Honeylemon applied not gotten to him, he could've gotten to critical condition. They said the knife that was left in the wound was the main thing that kept him from bleeding out." Judy's complete answer only brought Pawtorias more questions.

"Something is off, sir." The 'sir' caught Bogo's attention, getting him to respond directly to the wolf.

"What do you mean off?" The chief asked bluntly, wanting answers.

"Well look at the two different crime scenes. You have how he treated the officers versus how he treated the gangsters. He slaughtered the gangsters, not a second thought. But with us, he grabbed our attention, and then knocked us out. If he wanted to, he could've killed Juniper or Officer Lemon, but he didn't. That doesn't match up with his profile. They leave no witnesses sir, and today he left alive not just the three chief investigators on his tail, but also two eye witnesses to his intrusion and escape attempt. Something is very, very off about this." His explanation brought to the forefront discongruities they would've seen later, after an objective look. The faster jumping to that realization brought the whole case in a new light though. Bogo's next question hoped for a similar jump.

"So what does this mean for the case, Pawtorias?" His reply was simply and ominous, the foreboding tone matching the air of the case at the moment.

"I think it means that the end of this case is coming up, and soon."

* * *

Lucia walked through the large, ancient castle. The compound was at the edge of the city limits. In a questionable gray area of jurisdiction, which made it the perfect place for their guess to house them. Since getting their not but 10 minutes ago, she had showered and changed, and found a few knives to hide in her clothing. It seemed as her need to be armed hadn't changed, despite everything else that had. As she walked down the corridors, intent on her next move, she entered the small room where her brother's master awaited her, her sibling already there. Eleazar stood opposite from the limping wolf, waiting for orders and the long winded speech that the wolf undoubtedly had in store for them. It was a speech though that Lucia hoped to never hear, as without hesitation, she lunged across the room, knife in hand, aimed for the canine's throat.

* * *

 **So, confusing? Cluttered? Discombobulating? Other words that mean similar but not exactly the same thing? Sorry if so. I'm tired, it's late, and I really need to get this out there. If you have critique, please review. If you have praise, A, why? B, please review. Reviews are much appreciated and very much encouraged. Thank you Cimar for the pointers on the previous chapter. Act 2 (the current one) is almost done, and when it is, I'll be reaching out for edits as I do an overhaul of the previous two acts. Then act three, which should be statistically significantly longer chapters, but much less of them. In the final 10 or so chapters, probably less.**

 **Thank you for your time everybody. Last chance to get in on the betting pool, and last chance for input on how the ending should be.**


	24. Chapter 20

_Lucia walked through the large, ancient castle. The compound was at the edge of the city limits, in a questionable gray area of jurisdiction. This made it the perfect place for their host to house them. Since getting there not but 10 minutes ago, she had showered and changed, and found a few knives to hide in her clothing. It seemed as her need to be armed hadn't changed, despite everything else that had. As she walked down the corridors, intent on her next move, she entered the small room where her brother's master awaited her, her sibling already there. Eleazar stood opposite from the limping wolf, waiting for orders and the long winded speech that the wolf undoubtedly had in store for them. It was a speech though that Lucia hoped to never hear, as without hesitation, she lunged across the room, knife in hand, aimed for the canine's throat._

The assault was over before it began. Mere centimeters from her target, she was struck by a blinding flash of light accompanied by a loud bang, and sent flying, slamming against the door just as it clicked shut. The event left her head spinning, unable to understand what had just occurred even as she landed on the ground, temporarily paralyzed by whatever Arkous had done to her. In took only a second or two for her senses to come back to her, and the ringing in her ears to subside. When it did, she heard the snarl from the wolf, not directed at her, as it got a quiet whimper from her brother. At the same time, her nose was filled with the strong smell of smoke, and she immediately realised the smell was so strong because it was coming from her; her lightly singed fur and clothes giving off a wispy grey smoke.

"BE SILENT, FOX. WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN HER ON THE FLOOR, OR PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE YOU **DIG HER GRAVE.** " The threat felt empty to Lucia, but she knew Eleazar would take it very, very seriously. Fighting the ache in her back and the spasms in her muscles, she lifted herself up off the floor and opened her eyes, scowling at the crime lord, her abductor, master for all these years. His voice of condescension aggravated her even further.

"Oh goody, I had hoped it wouldn't render you unconscious. That would've ruined the fun I could have at the moment." Unsettled by his comment, but unwilling to give into the fear tactics she had seen him employ a hundred times over, she simply growled in response, her scowl deepening. The smirk he had set on her died when she did, replaced with a cold glare, a calculating stare.

"What did it? What finally broke my hold? Was it seeing him again? Talking to him? Was it smelling another female on his fur? I know it has something to do with Wilde, I just don't know what… I would very much like to know. It would help with my little puzzle." He queried of her, his eyes studying her response to the question intently. Hoping to throw him off, she looked back quizzically, putting on a dumbfounded expression as the door behind her opened and a two cheetahs grabbed her, restraining her as another one slipped through the door and grabbed her brother.

"Oh, don't give me that look. You think I wouldn't know? I've known for the past 20 years who Nicholas Wilde was. Do you really think I picked you at random? Or that I didn't have pretty much your entire lives documented? I knew who he was all the way back then. I knew who he was when he hit the news headline with the absurd excuse for a police officer. What's her name? Julie? July?"

"Judy." Lucia spat, his bravado now sincerely pissing her off. Her correction got a surprised look from him, as he corrected his assumptions.

"Ahh… So that's it, eh? It wasn't love or jealousy or lust or even sadness that broke you, but guilt and shame? Interesting. Boris, did you bring it?" Turning around, she saw the black bear towering over her and her captives, an almost pleasantly intrigued look on his face.

"Of course Savage. I must say, I'm quite impressed. How did you know?" The mammal asked as a grey and black lynx cat walked over to the wolf, handing him a box.

"That's unimportant. It seems things are moving faster than expected. I'll be leaving sooner than I thought. But first…" he trailed off, opening the box to reveal an odd collar. On one side there was a small black box, and a third of the length away a small vial with a deep purple liquid, and an injection needle on the inside of the neck piece…

"No… DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!" She snapped, struggling to break free of the cheetahs' holds. Her response made the wolf laugh.

"Hahaha. Oh, don't worry my dear. This little device would never work on you. You've already broken the hold I have over you, and that is never coming back. Your brother, however…" At that moment, her eyes went wide, and she looked over at the other fox in the room. His blue eyes carried a fear she had never seen in him, as he tried desperately to make himself seem smaller, to sink into the cat that was restraining him. It was apparent that he couldn't disobey Savage's order to remain quiet, so he kept silent, his eyes and body language screaming his pleas for him.

"No, please don't can't you see? He hasn't disobeyed you once. He isn't even now. Stop! Please!" Lucia she begged, lightly struggling, knowing what the collar would do to him.

"Hahaha! Lucia Fauxfang, are you really begging me? Now isn't that rich. But, alas, with you being free, I can only guess it'll be a matter of time before he breaks free too. And I have to keep one of you in my back pocket before the end." He cackled as a tear rolled down her cheek, as she could do nothing to stop the grey wolf from fastening the collar to Eleazar's neck, and watch his eyes drain of the intellectual agency they had had, replaced by a monotonous, droning obedience imparted by the heinous device.

* * *

Nick and Judy sat in Bogo's temporary office, waiting for what seemed like forever for the buffalo to get back and rail them. When the chief had arrived on scene, it seemed like they were really going to get off scot free with Judy's little maneuver in front of the camera's, until, that is, Clawhauser came running up to him, smart phone in paw, squealing about the TV show quality kiss the couple had shared on prime time television news. They were getting almost as much coverage as the attacks and fires were at this point. His sigh and scowl was all they needed to see to know exactly where he would want them to be and when. And despite it being nearly 11 at night, there they were, as officers set up the rest of the building for temporary HQ.

Hoping to clear the air a bit, Nick opened his mouth to make a joke, only for Bogo to finally walk in, causing him to shut it immediately. The massive buffalo was obviously tired, his shoulders slumped and the proud defiant posture he usually had slacking a bit. As he walked over to his side of the dusty desk, he dropped a stack of folders on it, and let out a sigh, as if to recharge his batteries before battering them.

"How long?" The calm question surprised them, their sagging ears perking up.

"Well sir, it started-" Judy tried answering, only for Bogo to raise his hoof to silence her.

"Not you, Hopps. It's apparent that I can't trust you to tell me what's happening with you two, so these questions are directed to Wilde." Realizing he was only half serious, the two were even more confused, but she let it go anyway.

"Um, well, we sort of started during that whole covert ops mission at the hotel, but we weren't really a thing until I got released from the hospital, sooo… 4 days? Wow, it really seems so much longer in hindsight…" Nick said, looking off into the middle distance.

"Probably from the lack of updates." Bogo responded, shooting a glare at Judy, who could only give a sheepish grin as a reply. He was quick to drop the look though, as a smirk came over his face, and he leaned back in chair. The unexpected movement got Wilde's attention, and a curious look from his two officers.

"Uhh, sir? That face is probably the most terrifying thing I've seen in a long time." the fox asked tentatively, the question being mostly unspoken. The hesitancy seemed to only amuse the buffalo even more, as when Nick spoke, his grin grew from a smirk to a full-fledged smile. After a moment in silence, the buffalo finally broke his silence, letting them in on the reasons behind his unsettling smile.

"Oh, nothing to be worried about Wilde. Just that you've won me a fair bit of cash. Thank you both for having an pitifully low level of self-control."

"Wait… sir, was there a betting pool on us?" Judy asked, indignant and feeling oddly violated. Bogo wasn't having it.

"Shut it Hopps. I should be splitting the two of you up for fraternization, so be glad that you won me some money and that recent events have made that impractical. Otherwise you wouldn't be so lucky." He snapped at her, the police chief's voice betraying a lighter, more humoured tone. Easy-going mood didn't last long. As soon as Nick chuckled off the scolding, the mood had soured, the serious implications of reality crashing back down. Leaning back, Bogo sighed, and broke the silence that had fallen on them yet again.

"Look, I can make excuses for the time being. I doubt anyone will be too caught up with protocol right now. And Pawtorias will fight any attempt to change anything as long as you're on special assignment with him. So for now, don't feel the pressure of formalities; just focus on getting the work done. When all of this chaos has started to subside, I'm sure we'll be able to get ahead of the ball and come up with an agreeable solution for the two of you." His sympathy was apparent; the warmer camaraderie was most welcomed. At that, the two smaller mammals nodded and he silently dismissed them.

* * *

Pawtorias sat in a dusty old office, waiting for his call to connect. The video call was a new thing to him, but he didn't really mind it. When the call finally connected, he stiffened, not knowing exactly who would be picking up.

" _Hello, Agent Pawtorias."_ The husky, raking voice of the grizzly bear on that picked up irked him.

"Ahh, Assistant Director Canis, pleased to see you. I'm trying to get in touch with Director Flet-" He tried getting out of talking to the mammal, but Canis stopped him.

" _The Director is out at the moment. If you want something, then you're going to have to answer to me."_ The comment earned him a scowl from the agent. _This guy has such a power complex…_

"Fine. Canis, I authorization to bring the Z.A. and Z.P.D. in on a joint task force for an assault. I believe I've tracked the V.I.T. to his current whereabouts and-" The bear stopped him again, putting the special agent on the defensive.

" _Believe? Why should we here trust you, Pawtorias? You've been on this case nearly 20 years; you've adopted more than a half a dozen partners only for all but one to end up K.I.A., with no successes. Not to mention the havoc caused by your failing yesterday. 11 agents were called in to help deal with the situation down there, and the clean up has only just begun. Nearly 10% of the agency's workforce has been called away from active assignments to deal with your mess. And now you want to start another one? If it was up to me, I would not only deny your request but pull you from service entirely."_ The anger in his voice was apparent, and the threat would've made a dent in Pawtorias's facade had he not been in the force for 30 plus years already.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing it's not up to you then, it's it?" His mocking smirk got a growl from the larger carnivore, who nearly bared his teeth.

" _Careful Pawtorias, you're on thin ice, even with the Director. Why he's had so much patience with you up until now I have no idea. But even he is displeased with yesterday's events. One more failure and you're going to have a lot of problems, not just me."_ Canis said, this threat more real, and far more worthy of Pawtorias's attention. However, he made no move to let the bear think it got to him, instead coolly reasking his question, far more bluntly this time.

"Sir, do I still have full authorization?" The bear glared at him for a minute, before sighing, his response giving Pawtorias the greenlight.

" _The Director has made it very clear that you still have full Presidential authority on your case. Whatever task force you want to set up is completely up to you. Don't blow it-"_ Not even bothering to hear his next remark, Pawtorias ended the call, glad he didn't have to listen to that tool any longer.

* * *

 **Hey everyone. Sorry for the long walk for a short drink. I've begun editing and and going over previous chapters, with help. There's only 3 more chapters left in this act, and after that we'll be coming up to the end. Expect those chapters to come out much faster than this one did. It was odd and off to write but sort of had to be done to set things up.**

 **Again, thank you Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps and An Adrift Dream for your reviews. Please everyone leave your reviews and thoughts. Thank you.**


	25. Chapter 21

The pair were finally back home, or, back to Nick's 'residence', for the first time in what felt like months alone. When they had talked to Pawtorias before leaving, he brushed them off, and as they had been up for the better part of the past 20 hours, both Pawtorias and Bogo had ordered them to sleep, seeing the fatigue building from the miscellaneous tasks they had been assigned to during clean up. But when they got back to the warehouse, sleep was the last thing on their mind, as instead they stayed up, burying themselves in Nick's cushions, pushing off sleep until they had once again thoroughly covered each other in their scents. As their little marking session came to a close, Judy noticed a change was beginning to take place; despite their scents still being distinct, they were no longer as diametrically opposed as they were just a few days ago. Judy's green, open aroma was beginning to resemble Nick's gritted world, and his opening up, taking on the clear skies she brought. The small detail caught her attention, and she was sure her mate had noticed it as well. Deciding to take up the question to the college together in their free time (whenever they got some of that again), she refrained from breaking the comforting silence they had fallen into, and sleep soon took them.

* * *

The roof of the high rise building was bland and without any artistic feel to it. The yellow circle in the center and the door leading to the stairwell behind the grey wolf agent were the only things that stood out from the grey cement floor. The warm sunrise at this height was a view worthy of watching, despite the immediate surroundings lackluster appearance. The wolf didn't care though. He stood waiting, patiently, his paws held behind his back, eyes closed and ears flickering, waiting for the loud chopping of helicopter blades. Pawtorias didn't have to wait long, as the sound soon broke the worried silence of the city. The large, green transport copter reached the building quickly, coming in for a smooth landing. The wind kicked up by the vehicle tugged at the canine's coattails, causing them to flap wildly, and had he had his eyes open, he undoubtedly would've needed to cover them. However, they weren't and as the copter slowed its blades, the wind died down as well. As the air became calmer, he heard the sliding door to the transport roll open. Cracking open his eyes, he saw the slim antelope and his guards step out of it, their military uniforms crisp and well taken care of. Sighing, and stepping forward, he extended a paw.

"Commander Lobes," his dry greeting was to be expected; the professionals were quick to the point. Giving him a quick paw shake, the antelope got straight to business.

"General Horn made it clear that I was to assist you in an upcoming strike you're planning, but was light on the details. I'm assuming you'll be filling me in, Pawtorias. Preferably before planning starts." The herbivore's quiet demand easily accepted by the carnivore, and he immediately obliged as he led him and his entourage into the building.

* * *

Nick and Judy were just getting back, refreshed from the night's sleep, and after a short breakfast, had finally made their way to the temporary HQ. The ZPD officers had been quick to adjust to the quick fix home, and were moving around as if the had always been there. However, there was a presence that threw off the standard feeling from the police; the uniformed soldiers and growing amount of armoured vehicles outside as well as the military officers moving through the building had everyone on edge, waiting in anticipation for someone to tell them why the Zoolandia National Air Force had also taken up a residence in ZPD HQ. When Nick and Judy found the wolf they were looking for, he pulled them into an office, with an tall antelope and two armed guards.

"Detectives, this is Commander Antles Lobes, logistical and coordinating head for General Arga Horn. Last night I contacted General Horn, requesting her assistance with an upcoming mission. She in turn sent Commander Lobe and the 44th battalion under his personal command to do so." He introduced them to the antelope, whose stiff posture and quiet expression gave Nick and Judy little to work with as they shook his hoof.

"Hello, I'm Detective Wilde and this is Detective Hopps, ZPD. Um, what mission?" Nick responded, his question being the important bit that the special agent seemed to have forgotten. Taking a seat behind the dusty old desk, he motioned for them to do the same, the small seats in front of it just the right size for them. Once they did so, he began.

"We know exactly where Arkous and the Fauxfang children are hiding. We tracked them to an old fortress just outside the city, owned by a notorious weapon smuggler named Boris Beaird. Surveillance over night proved that they're there. Do to the urgency of the situation, I've decided a hard, fast, military strike was in order. However, due to the jurisdiction and politics of the current situation, before Bogo was forced to go home he demanded that the ZPD be a part of the task force to spear head the assault. As you two are currently my taken partners, obviously you'll be a part of it. However, I also need you to choose at least 20 other officers to join the team, after which I'll be calling a briefing. We need group assembled in three hours. Get to work."

* * *

2 hours and 37 minutes. That's how long it took for Nick and Judy to go through the personnel files and pick out the 2 dozen officers and call them in, using the emergency code Commander Lobes had supplied them just after their search began to pull them off of city wide clean up, and three of them off of family leave even.

" _We need the best that are available. If you have to break their leave, then they'll be compensated for it afterwards. But right now isn't the time to worry about vacation time."_ Commander Lobes told them when they informed him of the officers that were currently on said vacation. Now the officers, squad leaders, and a small group of pilots were all sitting in one small, cramped room for the briefing. The police officers, chosen for their time either spent on other joint task forces, prior military service, or exemplary tenure on the force, were noticeably more anxious than the soldiers and airmammals around them. In front, the very first row, sat the two detectives that had called them in. Nick and Judy looked more like the military personnel than their fellow officers, the anxiety simply not shared. However, when Wolford tried to get some info on what was going on, all they could do was shrug, knowing just as much about the mission as the rest of them did.

They were to be informed quickly enough though, as Pawtorias and Commander Lobes entered the room, the briefing about to start. Their presence killed the conversations that were going on at the moment.

"Good morning everyone. I'm sure you're all curious as to why you're all here. This joint task force has been assembled for one reason and one reason only; there are several high value target on site in a grey area of jurisdiction just outside the city, and they have to be taking out or taken down quickly." Agent Pawtorias started out, his voice and unusual aura commanding attention, despite how undisciplined he looked in comparison to Lobes. He continued, "I am Agent Sif Pawtorias, of the ZSIS. I will be the field commander for the operation, and am the director of this task force. However, as I will be a boot on the ground with you lot, logistics officer and ZNAF Commander Lobes will be the oversight CO during the actual mission. As he will be overseeing the operation, he shall be giving the briefing on the P.o.A. Lobes, take it away." As he motioned for the commander, the lights went off and the projector hanging from the ceiling came on, displaying two maps of the area, topographical and satellite imaging.

"The assault will be a two pronged approach; light artillery and camoed infantry units will hit first, focusing on disabling the three AA banks here, here, and here. By our estimation, at most it will take ten minutes for the base to rally full defenses. When it has, reinforcements comprising entirely of light enclosed vehicles will move in, all infantry units will be ordered to take permanent cover until vehicular evac is possible. After confirmation of all AA batteries being taken out is given, three R2 Cloud Seeder class dropships will start their runs. The main infiltration team will make high altitude jumps onto the main complex, and set to securing the targets within. Once the all clear signal is given, the dropships will commence their secondary runs, dropping small explosives pay loads on the walls of the base. Once there's an opening, infantry will be brought in to begin final stages of clean up. After everything has been deemed secure, external ZPD impound and and prisoner transport teams will be called in for immediate aid. Any questions?" When commander Lobes was finished, paws immediately filled the air. Picking on one at random, a margay pilot in the back.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see the need for all of this. Why not just vaporize the entire place from low orbit?" Her question shocked the some of the officers, including Nick and Judy. However, most of the rest of the room just waited for a response, one that Pawtorias quickly gave.

"There are three targets in the compound: two of which currently have Secure-and-Protect status, and the last of which is under a No-Kill command. Leveling the compound from orbit would break all three of these orders." The blunt wolf replied, the answer satisfying the feline. The next question was more about the actual mission.

"Why will infantry be pulled out so early?" Lobes stepped forward to reply, his answered measured and comprehensive.

"Once full alert has been reached, several layers of defenses built around repelling and eliminating infantry and foot soldiers will be activated, including state of the art auto-repeaters and anti-personnel fragmentation mines. These defenses will nigh unbreachable for infantry units, and so the fighting will require heavier armour."

"Why the riskier high alt drop? Once the AA guns are down couldn't you just land in the base?"

"No. The AA batteries that are targeted are simply the precision guns. The fortress will still have rocketry and other defenses for such internal landings. However, once those guns are down, they'll be ill prepared for individual mammals dropping in. Once in, a secondary objective of the infiltration team will be to shut down all automated or unmanned defenses left operating. Any more questions?" The last question came from Fangmeyer, who's wearied and cautious expression gave Lobes a fraction of a second of hesitation before answering.

"Each officer from the ZPD pulled for this assignment will be given placement by Detective Wilde and Hopps, after consulting with Agent Pawtorias. Most of you will be placed in the primary infiltration team, due to your experience with close quarters engagement and use of nonlethal force. However, some of you have already been flagged as exceptional choices for liaisons in the other attachments. Last questions? No? Good, departure time is in an hour. Saddle up everyone." His final order got a 'hoo-rah' from the group, and expectant eyes on Nick and Judy from their peers.

* * *

Reika stood over the plot, looking down at the work of the past couple hard days. She knew that it was close coming, but she could never have expected it to be that quick. Events were moving far faster than she had anticipated, and now they were finally catching up to her. Or, well, this time, him. The sudden shock of waking up to an unusually still home, a quiet morning, a cold air, had left her numb the first day, despite all her mental preparation for it. Although, even with the knowledge of it being so close at hand, how could one really prepare for such a thing?

"I suppose one can never truly prepare for the loss of so much; something so fundamental. How foolish Reika; you still, even after all this time, have so much to learn. Unfortunately, those lessons aren't mind to learn. Perhaps our future will be better taught than we were." The elderly cheetah spoke to herself, her thoughts available to no one else.

"You chose a doomed messenger, Krava. Why? Surely you knew as well as I did, the end he would meet. Now, all that both of you knew will be lost. Did we not agree to avoid such an end? Or have you turned your back on our agreement, knowing it would be impossible for me to argue at this point?" Her questioning held a malice, a _venom_ , unexpected of how she would speak to her mate. When the air only held silence in response, she gave a wither growl, and filled it with more questions.

"I made every effort to accommodate you; yet this one wish you decided to ignore. Why? Why this one last desire? For what? To see the end of a legacy? Or did you believe that you could erase that which none knew? Did you hope that by burning the books, scattering the tomes, and shattering the plates you could undone the echoes?" Her queries and accusation were once again left unanswered, met with only the cool, damp breeze.

"Now here we are; unable to fight, to debate that which is now set in stone. I suppose you're pleased, believing you finally at least stalemated me. But I assure you, Krava, I will not let you snatch a stalemate from the lone victory I've been waiting for. I'm sorry, but that is something I simply cannot allow. I've worked too hard for that to happen." Her assertion hung in the air, as if looking for her intended target, only to find nothing, and soon fading.

"When the hunter joins you, I hope you make him understand. I doubt he will before then…"

Turning from the patch of ground in front of her, she walked back inside, hoping to catch the tears before her resolve broke, the sight tearing her apart. Almost as if to cry for her, the rain started, heavier than most days, the moment she closed the door behind her. The droplets landed on the small stone marker, the only thing marking the small patch she had worked on for days. The stone thin stone stood tall, proudly displaying "Krava Springslink, Last Mind of the Fauxfangs" to the world, the words almost protecting the deceased cheetah's grave with a the same quiet serenity he had in his life, now in death as well.


	26. Chapter 22

Charlie looked around, the hotel room he was staying in unusually comfortable. He didn't know how to feel about being paid, and then forced to thrown out of the compound. At least he got to keep the van. And the sizable paycheck would hold him over for a long while, even if he spent it lavishly like he did. But he couldn't get over the feeling that something was very wrong. He hadn't gotten to see either of the foxes as he was shooed out, and as he left he could've sworn…

"Bah, I guess it doesn't matter now. Which sucks, I kind of liked that guy. I just hope nothing too bad happens to 'em."

* * *

Nick looked over his drop suit, the military outfit he was supposed to have put on 10 minutes ago. Yet a nagging feeling had stopped him, some idea in the recesses of his mind screaming at him just how wrong all of this was. Something was very much off; he, a fox, was both heir to nobility and now about to embark on a special ops strike force with a bunny mate as ZPD detectives? When put in such direct terms like that, it all seemed impossible. As if it was not his current reality, but some short sighted narrative of what some teenage fan thought his story should be. As he sat staring at the stitching, running a singular claw over the black neoprene suit. The feeling kept building, begging him to drop everything, ditch his badge in the waste bin, and back into hiding, avoiding all the weights and problems of the past he had been dodging for decades. He could do it, let them know just how close he was to breaking by doing so. But just as the idea unrooted him from his seat, the quiet quote rang through his head again,dispelling the notion.

' _Never let them see that they get to you.'_ Lucia's childish voice rang through his head. The concept had been leading his life for over 20 years, and only twice had he briefly let go of the mantra. However, the influence it still held was obvious, and in this case, was impeccable advice. He had a job to do, and obligations to uphold. Not to mention that grey ball of fluff would track him down where ever he fled and make him realize just how foolish he was being if he tried to leave. Carrots was nothing if not persistent. And on that note, Nick chuckled to himself, swallowed his anxiety, and finally got ready, slipping into the flight suit, loading up his gear in all the specified pockets, grabbing the specialized helmet, and double checking everything to make sure it was all in order, before walking out of the locker room, intent on seeing his fears wrong.

When he finally got out to the staging area, he met up with the similarly dressed mammals waiting by the airships. Luckily for him, two of them, one of which the officers, including Judy, Nick, and Pawtorias, were still being loaded up. When he got next to Judy, the bunny looked up at him, an intense glare on her face. Had it not been for that, he would've gazed over her, as the flightgear did nothing but accentuate the curves and physique that he so adored about her.

"Nicholas Pib-"

"Please don't use my middle name."

"-erius Wilde, what have you been doing? You are 13 minutes late! If one of the forklifts hadn't broken down we might've left without you. Then Who was going to watch my back? Hmm? I would've had to ask Wolford at that point." She berated him, dropping the comment about the wolf, knowing how easily he goes from watching to gawking, much to Nick's annoyance.

"Don't worry Carrots, I'll be the only watching your back. I'll make sure of it." He responded, his head still mostly entangled in his own thoughts, his eyes looking around as the main column of attack cycles and Scorpion class armoured trucks moved out, the battle ground apparently heating up. Just then, Pawtorias ordered for everyone to load up, and as Nick and Judy did so, the grey wolf motioned for them to put on and seal up their helmets. When they did, the HUD lit up, and the radio crackled to life.

" _Wilde, Hopps, we're going to be dropping in 20. I just wanted to let you know that the fight down there has been quite erratic. Early reports are that there might be less defenders than originally estimated, but automated defenses are as numerous as first thought. Casualties are low right now, but even the armoured units are having a trouble making a dent. We're assuming only assuming that the AA guns will be down by the time we get into range, and we can't hold on take off any longer._ " Pawtorias said, his voice playing in the speakers in the headgear.

" _So what you're saying is we might just be blown out of the sky before we even get there? Great. I've always wanted to be a new star, even if only for a moment._ " Nick responded, the dark joke on the bright explosion they would make getting a noticeable head shake from the bunny next to him.

" _Really Nick? Can you try to not be so dark? Especially when we're going be ten thousand feet up and jumping out to drop like rocks?_ " The rabbit chastised him, an even more noticeable shiver going down her spine. Chuckling to himself, Nick glanced at her again, never expecting this.

" _Don't tell me, the fearless ever brave Judith Lav-_ "

" _If I can't use yours you can't use mine._ "

" _-erne Hopps is afraid of flying? Why, that's insanity. You eagerly fight Rhinos but a short plane ride and a little jump scares you?_ " He giggled, teasing her with a nudge. Despite her tinted visor, he knew she was glaring at the wall.

" _It's not a 'little jump'. It's TEN THOUSAND FEET. That's terminal velocity heights. That's landing and turning into a chunking salsa height. That's-_ "

" _Shut it Hopps. While I'm sure you have more apt descriptions, now is not the time. We've just been giving confirmation that all AA batteries are down, and we're just outside of the drop zone._ " Motioning for everyone to put on their helmets, he turned his radio to an open channel, talking to everyone once they got their headpiece into place.

" _Alright everyone, we'll be entering the drop zone in just a few minutes. Remember, no heroics, no big risks. We land, secure the building, and wait out the fighting. Stay in the main complex, and do not under any circumstance put yourself at risk. This whole mission relies on us locking down that central building, got it?_ " Pawtorias said, making sure they all understood. The 43 troops, split up into five groups, all gave their O.K. signal, except for himself, Nick, and Judy, who comprised the final group.

" _Squad leads, remember; Detective Wilde, Hopps, and myself are field CO's, regardless of your rank. Once we're down their, communication with HQ will be impractical. Orders will come from one of us. Understood?_ " Again, his HUD lit up with the O.K. signals from the four squad commanders. As they entered the drop zone, another voice came over the open channel. Nick recognized it as the same marygay from the briefing, and wondered which ship she was piloting.

" _We've entered the drop zone. Give 'em hell, boys. And a little extra for me too._ " Her comment got a hoo-rah from the troops, raising spirits just a tad. But it was enough. As Nick looked down at Judy, he caught a glimpse of her face through the tint, and saw the anxious excitement. Before he could say anything, she ran towards the door, shouting back to everyone through the radio.

" _Last one down buys the beer!_ " Before disappearing into the sky. Soon after the air above the complex was filled with diving mammals, and below them the havoc of an open battlefield. As Nick fell, he tried to get a good look at what was going on; the outer wall was still completely intact, the light vehicles that swarmed around it unable to really punch through. The mercenaries and defenders were few, but they were well equipped; Pawtorias hadn't been lying about the rocketry and heavy weapons. Several wrecked jeeps and armoured cars littered the ground. But the vast majority of the damage was obviously inside the compound. Several of the peripheral buildings had collapsed from mortar and artillery shelling, and the smoke from the anti-air guns was billowing up at least a thousand feet. All in all, it was mayhem.

It only took them a minute to hit the ground, with Nick, Judy, Sif, and several others right on the mark, landing feet first on the roof of the main complex. Throwing off the parachute, Pawtorias immediately began barking orders.

" _Squads one, three, and four, secure the perimeter of the building. I don't want any of those guys on the walls to get back in. Squad two, I want you to to rendezvous with squad five in the north side, top floor. Got it?_ " The lights of recognition flickered in his helmet, and he nodded. Looking over to Nick and Judy, he saw that they had already armed themselves, and were ready to move out, just as he expected. _Let's do this…_

* * *

Arkous sat, listening, watching the battle unfold. He hadn't expected this, to be caught off guard, completely unprepared. He knew they were coming, but he was labouring under the delusion that they were going to take a couple days. He thought he had a week. But it was obvious that he didn't. Thankfully, he wasn't without his backup plans.

Pressing the button on the desk next to him, he gave a single order, knowing it would be followed regardless of whatever chaos was ensuing outside.

"Move the girl and her brother to the _Final Flight_. Have Boris sent to my office ASAP." His command held an authority that was not to be questioned, and so it wasn't. It hadn't even been 2 minutes before the black bear opened the door, irritated because of being called away from overseeing the defence of his property.

"What could you possibly want, Arkous? Is my hospitality not suitable? Are you so blasted needy that you don't even care that the MILITARY is knocking down my goddamn door?!" He shouted, his anger boiling over. He was completely blindsided by what happened next. Arkous didn't say anything; not a word, as he lifted his left hand, aimed Eleazar's hand cannon at the black bear, and pulled the trigger, downing the carnivore in one shot. But leaving him alive. Getting up, he grabbed his cane and walked over to the mammal, who was now choking on his own blood.

"Oh, Boris. How sad. Did you really think I didn't know it was you behind the assassination attempts, the attack on the city, and the bounty on my foxes' heads? Did you really think me a fool? I thought about letting you live, I really did. You company and hospitality have been much appreciated, but this…" Savage waved the gun around, indicating the battle raging around them, "... is a failure I cannot forgive. You've put my plan, myself, and my most prized possessions at risk, all because you couldn't clean up after yourself. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Anywho, So long, and thanks for all the fish. It really was a delightful stay." The wolf walked out, back the same way Boris had come from, letting the bear bleed out behind him.

When he got outside, he saw the small building that housed the specially made escape jet. The light artillery bombardment had damaged the outside structure, but he was certain that the small plane inside was fine. Carefully making his way to the building, he looked over the grunt workers as they readied the aircraft for its get away.

* * *

Pawtorias ran from room to room, having searched the area now for the third time. Much to is dismay, Nick, Judy, and the several others that he had put on search and recover all signed in, all negative. They weren't in the building anymore. Cursing his inadequacy, he began to think of where the damn wolf could be hiding. Switching to an open channel between all the squads on the ground, he began asking questions.

"How many independent structures are still standing?" After a brief moment, the response came back.

" _Squad one has eyes on two standing structures. A sniper tower and vehicle depot._ "

" _Squad three has eyes on a mostly intact storage depot."_

" _Squad four is insight of both another sniper's nest and an unmarked building. Believe it's a hangar._ " _Shit. Of course, he's going to make a get away…_

"Squad four, where's the unmarked building?" Pawtorias shouted, heading toward the outside.

" _South of the main complex. It's the only one still standing on that side._ " The soldier responded quickly, and Pawtorias immediately turned to that direction. However, as he ran towards the doorway and the mammals defending it, another voice came on the channel.

" _Sif, do not go out there. You remember your own orders; stay inside the main complex. DO NOT GO OUT THERE._ " Nick hollered, hoping to snap the larger canine out of the rash decision he was about to make. Switching channels to a direct line to HQ, he ordered a halt on any strikes hitting the hangar, and before Nick or Judy or even Commander Lobes could question him, he yanked off the helmet, dropped it on the floor, and ran across the yard. _I'm not letting him get away again._

Breaking open the locked door leading into the building, Pawtorias wasted no time dispatching the few guards in the room he just busted into, his pistol firing with a deadly accuracy. He didn't bother looking around. From the outside, the building looked small enough. He would gladly waste the time tearing apart the entire thing to find the grey wolf hiding here. In front of him were some rickety metal stairs, and throwing caution to the wind, he ran for them, prepared to gun down nearly anyone he saw. Except for the one person he actually did. At the very top, and a wide, spacious observatory, stood Arkous Savage. Before PAwtorias could compose himself, the crippled wolf turned and fired several shots. Sif barely managed to dive off the top of the stair and onto the floor before the creaking metal collapsed, the bullets hitting in just the right places to dislodge the entire thing from its anchors and cause it to fall to the ground.

As he got back to back to his feet, Arkous lowered the gun, speaking instead of shooting.

"Ahh. Long time no see eh, brother?"

* * *

"Sif? Sif! Respond!" Nick kept screaming into the mic in his headset. The lack of a response unnerved him. _Damnit…_

"He must've gone to the hangar…" Judy said, placing her paw on his arm, collecting calmer thoughts. Getting on the radio, she contacted squad 2.

"Lieutenant, do you have eyes on Agent Pawtorias?" His reply came after a second of static.

" _Negative, Detective Hopps. He removed his headset and ran to the other building. Orders to pursue?_ " His question was met with silence, as Nick and Judy glanced at each other, wonder what exactly to do next. Knowing fully well they couldn't let him go it alone, Judy answered, declining.

"No. Wilde and I will be there in a moment. Make sure we have a clear run to the hangar. Then keep this building locked up tight." The affirmative from the officer barely registered with either Nick or Judy, as they quickly made their way to the same threshold Sif had just been at. A quick glance at each other was all the reassurance they needed, as they darted out and through the same door Sif had just broke open. As they got into the room, they noticed the dust settling around the collapsed stairs in front of them. Looking up, they focused their hearing and made out the conversation on the higher level.

"... brother. I've been wondering when we would see each other again. I had hoped it would be soon. It looks like dreams do come true." A sickeningly sarcastic voice spoke. They waited just a second before they heard Pawtorias's response.

"Don't you dare call me that. After all you've done, be glad I'm not gunning you down right where you stand."

"What I've done? You're the monster who crippled his younger brother! You turned my own son against me, then made me watch his death. That was on _you_!" Arkous lashed back.

"He turned against you after you killed his mother! After you threatened his siblings, and stole his childhood; I only gave him the chance at freedom and redemption. You're the one who turned him."

"How dare you…" the discussion made the two smaller mammals stop, the realization hitting hard. But they couldn't be stopped for long, as they looked for another way up. Going through a door to the side, they looked around the hangar, taking note of the small, unique looking plane towards one side. It lay on a raised platform, which had a rather wide gap between it and the rest of the floor. Peering into it, they looked down into the basement, noting the placement. The animals that had loaded up the plane were gone,and there were no more guards around. In the center of the overhang that was the upper floor, there was another set of stairs, which Nick and Judy immediately ran to, intent on backing Pawtorias up.

* * *

"He turned against you after you killed his mother! After you threatened his siblings, and stole his childhood; I only gave him the chance at freedom and redemption. You're the one who turned him." Pawtorias shouted back. The accusations weren't going to get them anywhere, but they had to be made. But with his last shout, Arkous seemed to simmer, unable to retort, and knowing that Pawtorias had the ultimate trump card in that little match.

"It doesn't matter now. You're under arrest. You have no means of escape, and I don't plan on letting you try." He made a step to the smaller wolf, only for Savage to stop him.

"Eh eh eh. I wouldn't do that if I were you. See that computer there? You cross the line in front of the door way, and it blows, launching you over those stairs filled with microchip shrapnel. And while I would like to see that, I would prefer to save it for them." The smirk on his snout got a quizzical response from the agent, until it dawned on him, as he heard the hurried foot steps up the stairs, and just barely saw the top of Nick's helmet when he heard a loud beeping coming from the computer. For a second, he thought of slamming against the wall, moving out of the way of the explosion, ensuring his own safety, following orders for once in his life. But the idea of following orders never really sat well with him. Springing into action, he jumped into the threshold as the beeping stopped, and the computer erupted. The concussive force picked him off his feet, sending him sprawling into his smaller compatriots, and they all fell back down the stairs, tumbling into the gap between the plane's platform and the floor, and into the basement beneath.

* * *

Soreness was the first thing that greeted Nick as he snapped out of the dizzying pseudo consciousness he had been in. The second thing was a loud ringing coming from his helmet's broken speakers, and the roar of the engines of the jet above them. The flames filled the upper level, but left them alone, as if unaware of their presence. And after only a couple seconds of it, the plane took flight, it's passengers gone with the wind. As the air settled, Nick finally yanked off the damaged headpiece, tossing it aside.

"Carrots? Judy!" His call got a muffled response. Blinking and rubbing his still unadjusted eyes, they finally got used to the dark, giving him back his excellent vision. Looking in the direction of the quieted words, he saw her struggling to get her helmet off. However, as if his sight was all the assistance she needed, she managed to break free of it before he could make his way to her.

"I'm fine, just this thing went insane. What the heck happened? One moment we were heading up the stairs, and the next there's a loud boom and you're hitting me and we were falling back down them." She asked, unaware of the missing factor. Trying to remember for a second, Nick stopped, and closed his eyes. It wasn't long before it came to him; the large wolf flinging himself in front of the fox, and then the the explosion throwing them down the stairs again.

"Pawtorias… SIF!" As the name dropped from his lips, Judy lit up with recognition, and looked around the room with the red fox. When Nick spotted the grey fur and black coat, he ran over, terrified of what he would find. The wolf was slumped over a box, his head down. He was motionless. Nick and Judy worked together, pulling him off the container, laying him flat on his back, only to reveal the damage. The grey canine's chest was filled with metal shards, fragments of computer chips, and plastic spikes. Hit with the unmoving, stilled nightmare, all they could do was gawk, at the realization.

* * *

 **Hey guys. No AN on the last chapter because I knew I would be releasing this one super fast-like. I've also been sitting on this one, as I sort of wrote it ahead of some of the others, to try and get the ideas down. The next ones will be coming out rather quickly, as I've now gotten through the least enjoyable (and hence shortest) parts for me.**

 **Please review. Thanks for being patient with me.**


	27. Chapter 23

" _There is a numbing effect in events of these sort." Lord Xalass told the red fox kit, as they stood over the polished white tombstone. The name had explained the elder fox's reason for visiting the grave sight. Nick had spent the past 3 years wondering what had happened to the vixen, but he had been reasonable enough to withhold the question. However, it was obvious that the topic should at some point be clarified, and Xalass decided today, with the mostly clear skies yet clouded horizon, was as good as any to visit the isolated graveyard. The plot was ancient, home only to foxes, and the center ring only to those that found their last name being Fauxfang. The headstone in front of them read, in a scrolling, fluid text,_ Audhry Racracial Luanna-Fauxfang _. The hyphenated last names were an oddity to the young fox, who had never seen it, and so made the mental not for questions to be asked. Later, though. The greyed silver fox's statement was a prompt, and Nick knew to never ignore a prompt from the old mammal._

" _Did you feel it? When she died, did you go numb?" His question was the easiest, and the little tod was quick to realize what a sensitive topic he was walking on._

" _Yes, but not when one would expect. It is a terrible thing, to bury a life that you've know to be so persistent, so strong. But when one has other responsibilities, sometimes the need to feel, even numb, is forgotten."_

* * *

Nick sat in a large, opulent office, his head still swimming from the events of the previous day. The image of the wolf's body being carted away, the flag draped over it, and the eerie silence the came after it's removal. It couldn't understand why the grey wolf's death was affecting him so. Judy had been of sound enough mind to take charge of the last moment's of the assault, and keep everyone on task until clean up crews arrived. He, however, had been so entranced by the loss he barely managed to speak, resulting in Bogo sending him home despite all the work to be done and sent Judy with him, unsure of his ability to get home and to bed safely. The next morning was when the true extent, the drowning numbness really set in. He was thinking clearly, and was most definitely entirely present, but he simply couldn't feel; the isolation that had been part of his shield, keeping everything else from him, now reversed, keeping him from everything. Except, luckily enough, for Judy. Her presence seemed to bring back his sense of touch where ever she placed her paw, or laid her head, or stroked with her claw. The relief kept him sane, as the fox contemplated how his diseased father figure had dealt with a feeling he could only imagine as all the more extreme.

His thoughts were interrupted as a door behind the chair they sat in opened, revealing a raccoon, followed by a very heavily scarred grizzly bear. The raccoon lifted himself into the largest and most expensive looking chair, with the bear flanking him in the chair next to him. Had Nick not had Judy sitting next to him, he would've been slightly terrified, but the small paw that rest on his thigh reassured him. The raccoon took just a moment before speaking, interrupting the steady, static silence.

"Do you know who I am? Why you two have been summoned here?" His question was rather blunt, and to Nick, misleading. _I wouldn't call having armed guards order you out of your home at 5 in the morning a 'summons'. More like a nonviolent kidnapping._ Had the unfeeling nature of death not been washing over and sterilizing his mind and attitude, he was sure that that bit of snark would've found it's way out. Probably for the best, it didn't, with Judy answering in sincerity instead.

"No sir, I can't say we do."

"I'm not surprised. My name is Cooper Porgrill. You may call me Mr. President." The revelation struck them oddly. The President-Chief was not a public figure, but the status of the office held sway over many others. The mystery and intrigue this generated around the mammal that sat in office lead many to believe absurdities about conspiracies theories and insane hypotheses, and even if one didn't prescribe to one of those, nearly everyone thought the person must have an enormous presence. Well, that preconceived notion was effectively dashed by this meeting. The raccoon held no authority to his voice, nor his stance, nor his walk, nor did he even attempt to try a display of such dominance. The shock to his system seemed to ignite Nick from his halfway stupor, giving him the motivation to make a less than formal comment.

"Hm. With the last name Porgrill, I always expected a pig. How'd you happen to get stuck with it?" His question got a confused look from Judy, and sharp glares from the mammal to his side of the small procyon. The mammal in the center though, chuckled, defeating the indignant wave that was about to hit Nick.

"Yes, my surname really did fit my parents. I was adopted, and my real family's name was dropped, as they were… less than decent people." His response was not exactly expected, the mammal's lighthearted disposition an odd unconformity between the two monoliths of discipline next to him. Hoping to stop Nick from making another comment, Judy spoke up, taking the attention and control of the conversation away from her less than completely serious mate.

"I'm so sorry. I-" she began, yet Porgrill had no intention of listening to her apologies.

"Never you mind. Similar comments have been made before, and I never take offense. Now, while I appreciate the break from more heavy topics, those subjects are the reason we are all here today. It has been several years since a true agent of the ZSIS has died, and many more since one has died in the line of duty. Although, many who knew him would've guessed him to die in such a way." President Porgrill redirected the conversation, the quick turn unsettling the detectives.

"In these cases, there are certain processes and steps to take, however, due to the circumstances, before the last deployment, Agent Pawtorias left this Letter of Inheritance with Commander Lobes." The new information was just another quandary for Nick and Judy, having no idea what any of that meant.

"Um, sir? A letter of what?" Judy spoke up, intent on not being left in the dark. That is when the bear finally spoke up, answering her question.

"The ZSIS is old, and being so informal, has a plethora of traditions and practices many would find odd. The Letter of Inheritance is one such practice. Should an agent be rendered incapacitated or incapable of completing his assignment, he may pass it along to another that worked outside of the agency but close to him on the mission. No one has called for such a thing for decades. As such, it holds very little authority." The massive omnivore explained. The last comment got a scowl from the raccoon next to him, who immediately reprimanded the bear.

"I have no idea how Director Fletcher deals with you Canis, but your attitude is piss poor," the scolding shocked everyone, but Porgrill moved on quickly enough.

"While he is technically correct, that it has no _formal_ authority, it hold a fair bit of influence as to our next action. Someone must be placed back on the investigation, as Arkous Savage is a target we cannot allow to wander freely. However, who to assign is a difficult question. Sif regarded his allies and colleagues in the ZSIS to be well beneath him, an assessment that I would be likely to agree with. Which leaves us in a bit of a predicament; he didn't involve any of his fellow agents in the details of his cases, and his previous partners are either dead or lying on a hospital bed. Which means that anyone who we could give the case to now would have to pick it up from the beginning, and I doubt that we have the time to catch a new agent up to speed." The last statement got a nod of agreement from the two ZPD officers, and got Nick to speak up to the affirmative.

"Yes. Savage is coming to the close of his plan, whatever it is. There really isn't time to train newbies for it. He'll be finished before they start reading Pawtorias's notes." His confirmation got a light smile from the raccoon, and an annoyed sigh of resignation from the Assistant Director Canis.

"Pawtorias knew that. He was well aware of it. I believe that he spent his last weeks grooming you two to finish this case, as he indicated you two are the only ones that can." The President lifted the letter out of his coat, revealing it to them, and the now obvious intentions. The idea hit them in an odd way, for a couple of reasons that that couldn't exactly reconcile. The first was that they hadn't realized that there was a chance that they would be taken off the case, removed from the investigation entirely. And then the second reason was an astonishment that they were now being offered to head the mission, an assignment that they've only ever seen themselves as assisting in. Something about how the raccoon implied the idea lead Nick to realize that there was something else there, and squinted in response, looking for some tell-tale mark of why. They hadn't simply been offered, the raccoon had implied them the most well suited for the job. There was a difference in this context, and just a second later, Judy reached the thought too. Noticing that both of them understood his meaning, the black and grey mammal grinned, his explanation also indirect.

"So it seems that we don't have a suitable agent replacement. Canis and I will have to spend all of the foreseeable future looking for one, which means we won't have the time to order someone to go and retrieve the late Sif's notes. Could you hold on to them for us? I doubt it'll be too much of an inconvenience. And after all that's happened, I'm sure Chief Bogo will be more than willing to give you two a few days off." The dots were easy enough to connect, and the two of them did immediately.

"Of course, sir. We'll make sure to keep them safe until otherwise notified. Anything else?" Judy responded, hiding her enthusiasm. Before Canis could interject his opposition to the thinly veiled torch hand off, Porgrill spoke up, cutting him off.

"Oh, and just in case you ever need to get into contact with me or Director Fletcher, here are our personal numbers. Please, do keep in touch. I would love to see the wedding you two put on." His last comment got a deep blush from the both of them as Nick reached out and took the business cards being handed to them. With that, Porgrill dismissed them, and they listened intently as he silenced A.D. Canis as they were ushered out the door.

* * *

Arkous simply stared at the glove on his hand, the two undamaged gems still shining ever so brilliantly. Normally he would feel a sense of victory; after all this time, he was so close to his goal, so close to unlocking the door to his dreams. Yet… there was a hollow feeling instead, almost as if the success was a moot point.

Was it his solidarity that caused the lack of enjoyment? The temple ruins were once rather filled with his extended family, a close-knit clan of wolves all living together for the same sole purpose; to hide the secrets beneath their feet, to make sure no one ever put the dots together. Yet now, he was all that remained, the others being killed off or disappeared by his machinations, so as to leave not a single defender left. In the last 24 hours his purge of his relatives had finally been completed. Why Sif had chosen not to simply shoot him he had no idea. But in hindsight, he was glad the honorable fool had the principles to protect the detectives. Had the agent done the sensible thing and ducked away, his entire plan would be in jeopardy, regardless of whether or not he had escaped. Although, perhaps that was the cause of his hollowed feeling? His plan would be coming to fruition and the one person he had hoped to brag to, the one person he had hoped would see his victory and recognize their own defeat, would never witness it.

Or perhaps it was something else entirely? Something he didn't yet understand, something he could not yet place a claw on. Either way, he presumed the feeling would not dissipate any time soon, and so ignored it for the time being, his attention needed to command the spiritless fox that now stepped into the torchlit room.

"I am to assume that your sister is securely locked in place below?" The black fox's answer came as a stiff nod. Savage could feel the unease that his servant's current position inspired, but he set that aside too, knowing it wouldn't be long before that too would be solved.

"Good. The time is almost here. I give it three days, at most. Go to your chamber. Wait there. I'll be sure to bring you food every day. Prepare yourself. For when the red fox comes, I demand you slay him with your blade. Understood?" The stiff nod response was all that the fox gave him, and then turned and walked out. Getting out of his chair, he followed the fox, but when he came to a set of stairs, went down, into a great hall. The room was massive. On both sides there were a set of giant doors, one to the outside and the other that lead down into the catacombs. In front of that door was a sizable stage. On the stage, tied to one of the obelisks sat the pearly white vixen, staring at him in contempt. He stared back at her with simple understanding, a patience to his gaze.

"The end is nigh…"

* * *

"I don't like this, not one bit. If it was only up to me, I would be vetoing putting my best officers on leave while the city is still going through hell. I need you two here. But, fortunately for your request, it's already been approved." Bogo grunted, his temporary office responding to his irritation with a quick flicker of the overhead light.

"I know, sir. But Nick and I have some affairs he has to put in order, and we still have to deal with some issues that will call us away soon. We won't be much help to you either way." Judy's response got a questioning gaze from the buffalo, as he tried to decipher what she said. It took him a few seconds, but when it hit him he simply nodded in understanding.

"It will take a 4 days to get the system online to enter in your absence. And from what I know, you both still have the security clearance from your time assisting Agent Pawtorias. I expect that you won't abuse it." The hint was clear, and they nodded their heads, almost sarcastically. Scrutinizing them under his gaze for a moment, he simply sighed, and dismissed them with a wave of his hoof. After they left, he pulled out a large bottle of scotch, pouring himself a drink, and praying for their safety in the back of his head. Or, more like demanding.

1

Nick and Judy hurried to Pawtorias's car, which had been left in the parking lot when deployment had been signaled just over 24 hours ago. Taking it back to Nick's home, they ran down the to do list in the car, shooting ideas back and forth.

"We need to figure out where Arkous has fled to. Commander Lobes probably tracked Savage's craft when it escaped-" Nick started, but Judy interrupted, shooting down the idea.

"When I was working with cleanup, Lobes told me that the aircraft was equipped with more than a couple signal jammers, and the dropships couldn't pursue because of a local EMP pulse from the self-destruct systems in the compound. The ZNAF has no idea where it went."

"So then we have to hope Sif left us something that will help us with this…" Nick said as he crawled into the back seating, grabbing a box and looking through the file folders. _Assault prep_ , _Artifact details Aug 9th_ , _Artifact details Aug 30th_ , _Historical Operations Management Expedition..._ When they finally pulled back into his home, He had picked out more than half a dozen folders that mentions hideouts and locales that their target had frequented. Grabbing all of them and heading up to his kitchen, they cleared a wall and put up one of Sif's maps of the greater area. As they began plotting the points, Judy remembered something, bringing it up as soon as it came to mind.

"I do remember that Lobes said what kind of plane it was. He said it was a Z-95 Hunterhead jet. It was a maximum travel distance of…" Judy paused a moment as she pulled up the notes on her phone, "530 kilometers. That means he couldn't have gotten too far…" she finished as she grabbed a marker, making a giant red circle, the outline marking the greatest distance he could've gone.

"Which means all of these others are irrelevant." Nick said as they focused in on the circle. Grabbing the related folders, they scanned the diseased wolf's notes and debriefs, figuring out what happened at each. Spending hours going through the notes, they soon found themselves crossing off each location, as it was revealed the hideout had either already been raided, destroyed, or acquired by the Zoolandia. It was sundown when they crossed off the last location, much to their own irritation.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers why is this so difficult! I expected Sif to have the answer ready, not hidden in guessing games in the countless folders that merely mention at a hint at where he could be hiding!" The bunny shouted, her anger quite apparent. After her explosion, she got up and grabbed some water, letting the cold liquid cool her off. Nick was barely managing to keep his own frustration from exploding when Judy breached the one topic he had been avoiding, even in his own head.

"So, I'm not the only one that heard it right? You heard Savage call him 'brother' too, right?" Her question snapped Nick from the search, refocusing him on the superfluous yet pressing issue that they had dodged in the moment.

"... Yeah. I heard it too." The fox's hesitant response gave Judy reason to pause for just a second, before she spoke up again.

"Do you think that was literal? Or maybe they were brothers in another regard? Like brothers in arms?" Hopps posited, hoping to cut any connection between the madmammal and their comrade. It only took Nick a second before he disposed of the idea.

"No, it was literal. Savage said that Sif turned his son against him.. Remember what Bogo told us? One of Sif's partners was his nephew, who was killed in action." The insinuation was evident. The connection caused Judy to think to herself for a moment, the trying to figure out how two very different people could be so closely related.

"I can't imagine what kind of home they grew up in." _Home._ The word rang in Nick's head, and refused to leave. It was unnervingly simple, yet…

"Carrots, if you were in trouble, and you had to go somewhere, where would you go?"

"What do you mean?" Judy's look of confusion was painting quite clearly on her face.

"Where would you go if you couldn't be here? If you were backed up into a corner and you had to get somewhere safe?"

"Well, home obviously."

"And where is home?" His last question finally connected the dots, not just for her, but him too. The realization crashed down on him hard as he didn't even wait for to answer, jumping up and heading back downstairs to get back to the car.

"Wait, Nick! You really think he's going to go home? And how do you even know that Sif knew where home is for Savage? They obviously weren't on speaking terms." She argued, logical points following her slightly skeptical mind. Yet he had a refutation to all.

"Judy, where is home for you? You have few friends, haven't lived here in the city long, and most of your time is spent at work. So where would you consider your real home." He had an answer in mind, yet she had something else in hers.

"Here." The simple one word response caused a rupture of mixed emotions in Nick. On one hand, the reply was so very touching he could barely stop himself from kissing her out of love and adoration. However, he forced himself to stay on track, and listen more to the side grumbling _'clever bunny. BEFORE ME!?'_

"Haha. Clever bunny. But before me. Before us. What was your home then?" He asked, on the lift and heading down. Her next response was also a simple, one word reply.

"Bunnyburrow." She said.

"Why?" The question would hopefully be the last before she would catch on.

"Because it's where my family is, and where I grew u… oh!" Her exclamation pinpointed exactly when she understood. Together they ran to the wolf's car, looking through his countless folders and files and documents for anything that hinted at Sif's childhood home. After an hour looking, nothing came up.

"He must've put something down. Surely he knew that Savage would use their old home as a base." Nick lamented, wondering where the agent could've hid it.

"Nick, spell 'home' for me." Judy's odd request got a humoured chuckle from the fox right before he did so.

"H O M E. Home. Did I win the spelling bee?" He asked, before looking up from the folders he was dealing with. When he looked over to her, she was staring at on of the folders he had put down, _Historical Operations Management Expedition_. _H.O.M.E._ _Home._

"How did I miss that…" Nick said as he grabbed it and opened up the manila paper.

"Dumb fox." Her grin displayed her feeling of success.

"Clever bunny…" His response was almost automated as he started reading the contents of the first page, the detailed description of the labyrinthian ruins Pawtorias once lived in. When he came across coordinates, he passed them to Judy, and they ran back up to the mao, placing the point well within the maximum range of the jet. They were onto him.

* * *

Nick sat in the _Red Rocket_ , rereading Sif's writings. Judy had fallen asleep, and Nick had put her to bed a couple hours ago, giving him to look over the grey wolf's notes alone. He wasn't sure whether or not he should actually call them notes. It was much more like a diary or journal than notes. The contents, however, were more like something out of a horror film. He had kept the documents from his mate, not knowing how she would take the decline of Pawtorias's personality from an idealistic pup to the ambivalent and cold demeanor he had by the time they met him. He could barely deal with it himself. And the most horrible part he found he simply couldn't drop.

 _November 17th,_

 _From 5 to 3. I don't know if I can keep doing this. He cut down our family from 5 to 3. First Ciaran, my dearest, now Havel, his own son? Why Kras? Is this worth it? I can't handle this. Director Fletch is having me send my own daughter to a WPP. I'll never get to see her again. Will she forget about me? What lies about us will they tell her new parents, Ciaran? Should I give up now? Or has the blood been shed began an endless cycle of vengeance with no defendants? I slew his mate-to-be, so now he's chipping away at my family?_

The light undertones of the poet Sif used to be ringing throughout the singular paragraph entry, emphasizing the pain scrawled on the page.

However, Nick wasn't in the car just for the life of Sif Pawtorias. Sighing heavily, he put aside the folder and looked at the car's sat-nav. The ZSIS had brought the car back while Nick and Judy were dealing with the President Chief. He was still uncertain how they learned where he lived, but guessed Sif had something to do with that. Logging into the device, he carefully put in his badge number, the system locked by the ZSIS to hide where it had been. Just as Bogo had said though, he still had security clearance, and the computer beeped as it opened up access to the system for him. Going through the options, he found the previous locations the car had traveled to, and when looking through them, one stood out. Writing down the coordinates, he then had the computer undergo a complete wipe, leaving no trace of Sif's journey.

* * *

 **Hey guys. We're closing in on the last few chapters. I think Some of the extra fluff and stuff I'll save for epilogue chapters or a sequel focusing on the _romance_ and difficulty of trying to return to normalcy. So with that change in the dating, it seems that Act 3, starting with this chapter, will be far shorter than expected, only about 4-6 chapters, if I stretch it out.**

 **With all that being said, I hope everyone enjoyed, and please read and review.**


	28. Chapter 24

Judy woke up to an odd situation. Or, could one truly call it a situation? More of a feeling. The air held a stiffness, almost as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation. Of what, she wasn't quite sure yet, but she could have it a guess. And it would definitely have to do with the red vulpine currently in the shower in the next room. For a moment, she thought about surprising her currently naked mate by joining him, but the idea was dashed as she heard the water turn off. Getting up, she was surprised to see him already partially dressed, apparently moving quickly.

"Hurry up Carrots, I already have breakfast in the car and everything backed." The fox said as he vigorously dried the back of his head. Judy took in the shirtless mammal for a second, before his statement truly hit her.

"Wait, what? Why the rush? Why the car?" Nick's cool and steady response reminded her more of the recently deceased agent, rather than the smart mouth fox she was used to.

"Well, they're a day's drive out, and we have to make a stop on the way. So if we leave now, we should be getting there by mid-day tomorrow. And the quicker we get this over with, the better." When Judy realized what he was saying, she looked at him with a face of incredulity.

"Wait, what!? You expect up to go in there by ourselves?! That's insane! We have to get back up!" She opined, her obvious qualms with going in alone making themselves apparent.

"We can't go to anyone with this information. Bogo and the ZPD are busy with clean up, and any ZSIS agents would have to review the situations before going in. That could take them weeks, and I don't think we have the time for that. And, there's something else," Nick's cool demeanor shifted, taking on more of an oddly defeated tone, "I don't think it should be anyone else going down there. Sif left it to us, and I think he did so on purpose. Besides, I owe them that much; they deserve to be saved by a friend." Nick responded, his voice carrying a sincerity that it usually lacked, and that was all that it took to convince her. With a silent her nod, one that he quickly reciprocated, they moved out to the car, and then promptly left Nick's home, chowing down on the spinach omelette and salad that Nick had prepared for breakfast. Once they got onto the open road, Judy got around to asking him the ominous question.

"Nick, what stop do we have to make?" Her question was pretty simple, but a topic that the fox had been mum on since he mentioned it. However, once out of the city limits, he had become noticeably… different. Both relaxed and tense at the same time, and curiosity had finally prompted her to break the comfortable silence they were sitting in.

"What is the stop, Nick?" Her quiet voice was tempered in a cautious interest, as she wondered what could be so important that he would postpone catching Savage for it. The sigh that followed her question was worrying, but she allowed him to answer before he said anything.

"Last night, after you went to sleep, I was able to log into the GPS of the _Red Rocket_. The ZSIS hadn't wiped it, and Sif had locked it. After logging into the records, I was able to track down where Sif had gone. And I feel it necessary to talk with them before this is all over." As apprehension bloomed on Judy's face, she silenced herself, steeling her resolve as she realized that this was probably the only portion of his previous 'family' she was ever going to meet.

* * *

It was nearly sundown by the time they got to the muddy rainforest, getting the car as far as it would go before they got out and started hiking. While Nick didn't have a map, or even an idea of where to go, the thick essence of the area seemed intent on guiding them to their destination. They walked the path Sif had traveled not but a week prior, their minds captivated by the deep seated energy of their surroundings. The ground, which had been difficult for Pawtorias to navigate, almost promoted their movement, the spirit of the ground pushing them forward. Yet, the air around them proved hostile, a humid, biting cold snapping at their faces and tails at odd times. It wasn't consistent either; the air ebbed and surged, completely erratic, causing them them to lift up their paws in an attempt to cover their faces. And fortunately for Judy, her little tail could be slipped into the long hoodie she threw on. _Un_ fortunately for Nick, his tail was forced to simply endure the problematic and annoying nips. However, as they neared their destination, he cared less and less about the uncomfortably cold pin-pricks. And when they got insight of the old cottage, he stopped himself for a second, looking in disbelief for a moment.

The moment ended when he noticed the smoke from the chimney, which happened at the same time Judy grabbed his paw, the sign of comfort and the sign of warmth prompted his next step, and when they reached the door to the cabin nestled in the base of the massive tree, he didn't even have to knock.

"Ahh, the preserver has finally returned. And has brought along the reclaimer as well. How wonderful." The old cheetah said, her cryptic words confusing the rabbit that now stood firmly behind Nick. When she looked up at her face, though, the kind and nostalgic smile beckoning a warm welcome.

"Mrs. Springlink, it's been a long time." Nick's reply was careful, almost like a rebellious child coming home after years of indignant distance.

"Yes, and you will do well to avoid such long trips away from those who love you. Now, please do come in, the bite of the cold has gotten deeper in the past few days." Judy analyzed the two, their interaction quite alien to her. She didn't have to be told twice to get out of the cold though, and quickly followed her red fox inside, letting the cheetah close the door behind her.

"Here, the cold will remain until you out it with something." She said as they got comfortable on the couch, handing them cups of steaming tea. Thanking her, they began to sip, and just as she said, the cold lingered on them until they had downed most of it. Once free of the chill, Judy looked around again, taking in the little cabin. The room they were in was a small living room, centered around a fireplace large enough to warm the whole household. The small kitchen, closer to the door, was a singular counter and stove. There seemed to be no signs of any sort of electricity, and the dilapidated, aged look of the building only seemed to prove the age of the building. From her guess, the wood flooring and the walls and door must be a century old at least, and kept in poor conditions.

"Your guess is underestimating much. The conditions this place was kept in were exquisite, it is simply far older than you would expect. This place is much older than the century, possibly as old as the millenia." Her remark pulled the detective from her thoughts, snapping her back to the situation at hand. It took her less than a second to be completely unnerved by the statement, the thought of her being able to read her so easily and so precisely stilling her.

"Hahaha. Oh dear, no need to be upset. I may be no ordinary mammal, but I am nothing to fear. I'm afraid I am the last of my kind unfortunately, and if so, fear will only demean my last moments, as I will spend them assuaging said fears instead of passing on what wisdom I have acquired." She spoke, the weight of her comment getting through the fanciful speech quite clearly. Taking her meaning, Judy immediately asked the question that had been settling in her mind since they arrived.

"What is this place? This forest, this cottage… they feel so…" She searched for the right words, but fell short, unable to speak her mind. As she strained, Reika chuckled, amused by her attempted to describe the aura around them.

"This forest is old, very, very old. It remembers a time before the rise of mammals, before we were our own masters. It remembers the lords of times long gone, and it is the remnants of their reign and power that you feel. This place has long been left to it's own devices for the echos of power felt here. However, I do not know if it will last the century; the encroaching essence to the north, the hungry desert that has been consuming this place may soon swallow this isolated piece of the ancient world." Her answer lead Judy to more questions, questions that she was more than willing to ask.

"What do you mean by that? The lords of times long gone? How can a forest remember things?" She fired, her eagerness getting the better of her.

"Pace yourself, reclaimer. The questions that you ask are many, and the answers are not truly for you. However," she interrupted herself with a quick sniff, "it seems that you have irreversibly tied yourself to our preserver, so it would be that his answers are yours as well." Her repetition of the odd names caught Judy's attention again, and so to temper her curiosity on the other topics.

"Why do you keep calling us that? 'Reclaimer' and 'preserver'?" The question roused intense interest in Nick, who had been lost deep in thought as he sipped his tea and stared deep into the fireplace. His stupor broken, Reika

answered.

"For that is who you are. You have reclaimed an essence long lost, left wandering the world after its body and power had been sacrificed. It is a powerful thing, to encapsulate such spirit that you do. And in doing so you have taken up her mantle, and bear it as your own. Such is what it means to reclaim." Her attention then turned to Nick, who stared back at her with the apprehension one would expect from someone who grew up around the cheetah.

"And you have always been the preserver. Yet have never known why. Perhaps, after all these years, a little wisdom, a sliver of insight has been acquired? If not, then your self imposed exile has been truly worthless, and you would disappoint me." Her challenge was clear, the demand to see whether or not he understood a lesson predating his mate ringing clearly.

"I am the last of Xalas's lineage, in a sense. I am his chosen heir, and will be the one to continue his beliefs and teachings, correct?" The statement was simple, and made enough sense. But it was obvious that Reika was knew far more.

"Yes and no. You will pass along his teachings, but you are not the last of his lineage. That will be found in another. You are the next in a line far removed from the Fauxfang household, a descendent of lords whose true personage, whose very soul, was lost to time, as lesser foxes and weaker minds diluted the bloodline of the ancient knight. It was readily apparent the moment I saw you that you wielded the strength of their mind, a facet long lost in Xalas family. He knew this, and that was why he was so quick to accept you into the house. He understood how potential could be squandered on improper teaching, or the lack of any resources. He tested you as if you were his own, and when you outpaced them, he recognized you as the true heir not to his estate, but the title of Lord, in such a manner that your right should precede his own. Such higher ideals are lost on the legal system of Zootopia, a system that I believe the family had wed themselves too closely to, and as such, he left the ideal out of his will, as to not create confusion. A mistake, I would say." The correction was long, and one that made very little real sense to Judy. But Nick understood, and his face showed that he knew all of it before she had said anything.

"Your humility will serve you well in the coming years, preserver. But I know it to be a recent trait, one even greatly outlived by her existence in your life. Such a young aspect has no place in the land of olden times." She chastised him, getting a smirk in response. As Judy realized that was the complete to Nick's title, but not to her own. Before she could ask further, their host came back to her.

"You are one that I never expected. Such a close reincarnation is akin to spilling one's cup into the sea, and expecting to refill it with the same water millennia later. Your personality gives us insight into how odd of a character she must have been, all those years ago…" the cheetah lingered on the thought, until the rabbit interrupted.

"Um, who? Excuse me, reincarnation?" Coming back to the conversation, Reika began to clarify.

"Lady Earwings, my dear. The lone female knight of the four, and the High Lord's assassin. Your spirit is kindred with hers. As if determined to see herself finish the task she and her comrades left unfinished." The vague statement left Judy wondering, and putting aside the unrealistic supernatural portion of what the cheetah had just said, she asked the next question, realizing that that task was the key to their investigation.

"What task? What did they leave unfinished?" Reika's response to her left her both skeptical and enthralled.

"I presume you know the mythology of the Tale of the Old Knights? Well, it's true. All of it."

* * *

 **Hey guys. As we near the end, I'm getting more and more reluctant to finish it. I also don't know if I should write a short sequel or tack on the few fluff chapters about them returning to normal life and the events afterwards at the very end as an epilogue.**

 **Anywho, please review. Thank you Cimar Turalis of WildeHopps for doing so on the last chapter. I got busy with working on Comic Con stuff over the past couple of weeks, but now that that's over the next one will come out quicker. And then the story will end... sadly. Bye guys, I hope you enjoyed.**


	29. Chapter 25

"I presume you know the mythology of the Tale of the Old Knights? Well, it's true. All of it." Reika's response Judy dumbfounded, an apparent look of disbelief overcoming her face. Nick, however, simply stared on, analyzing his old mentor. Catching her skepticism, Reika reinforced her assertion.

"I'm not surprised you would be skeptical. The descendents of the swordsfox Fauxfang and the hunter Pawtorias have hid away the remnants and vestiges of the ancient world, a world they knew must never be sought after again. And how could one want what they didn't know even existed? But let me ask you a simple question; how are we here? The greatest scholars of past centuries have failed to put the puzzle together. They have long understood the rational rules of the world, but a piece has always been missing. Why is it that all mammal kind stood up in the same generations, all pulled their hands from the ground and on the tools we now use to build our cities? Such changes, such universal shifts in the world, do not occur naturally. For all the mammal species to collectively learn to not walk on the forepaws and to talk instead of our ancient growls and calls, is no coincident. Your destination, the setting for the climax of this journey, is far more important than you understand.

"The fool believes he could harness the power of that object to extend his life, and force the submission of all others. He knows not what he does. Below the hidden enclave of the house of Pawtorias, deep in the tomb the High Lord, that… nameless king, lies the being himself. To open the deep, to try and rest loose his trophy from where he lies, would be more than impossible. It would release him from the tepid slumber he has sat in, and set his vengeance on this world he so desires to rule." The cryptic warning sent a chill down Judy's spine, but she still had a hard time rationalizing what the old librarian was saying. Nick didn't though, and he immediately knew his next question.

"Tell me the tale, as you know it. Everything you know of it." His question came out as a demand, as he channeled the authority he vividly remembered Xalas speaking to her with, all those decades ago. At first the tone caught her off guard, yet she quickly folded, submitting to the request. Before she started, she gout up, and got something from her bedroom. A large ornate silver plate. And into the plate she pour some water, and placed it in front of them. Once the water had stilled, she began

"The story starts, as many do, a long, long time ago. Where now it is a tomb, and primeval prison, was a crater, the landing of an object from outside this world," as she began to weave the tale, the plate shimmered, a vision of the time appearing before the two smaller mammals.

" _This droplet of power exuded the essence of gods, the strength of that which will only ever be underestimated. And such treasure is not without its followers. As the new energies seeped into the world and flowed into all of the life that could harness it, HE came. I say he, yet that word simply doesn't describe the presence. The being was neither female nor male, and the body it inhabited was more of a puppet than a true form, an avatar through which to exact its commands._

 _He found it, this piece of power, and with it, changed the face of the Earth, turning the mammals into proper servants, and lorded over them; a Dark Lord to rule the world. He was not without his restrictions though, as even omnipotence has its limits. And so, to expel his will across the world, to execute his commands, he plucked four individuals from the world who resonated greatly with the changes, and instilled in them an echo, a fragment, or portion of power for them to rise above the others, to be his eternal slaves; warriors who's lived would last as long as his own reign, one that he assumed would be everlasting. In their creation, however, he would see his undoing…"_

 _~3100 years ago~_

The night was cool, and the moonlight was hidden behind the drapes of clouds, keeping the world shrouded in a thick darkness. Dark to most, that is. A set of piercing blue eyes broke through the shadows easily, discerning the world before him as if it was daylight out. The fox's eyes were remarkable, even among his kin, being able to see through the unnatural midnight veil that exuded from the black tower. Only he could work so well under the cover of darkness, and he was sure it was that way for a reason. As he moved through the gray streets, his eyes swept over the buildings and houses and shops, searching for any sign of a break in curfew.

Despite the hundreds of years of his life, Gwyndolin Fauxfang had never truly adapted to this new setting, and still found portions of his mind unwilling to brave this new world he found himself in. Merely two centuries of an illegitimate, forced evolution would leave one with the expectation of such lingering recesses, and he was sure that with all likelihood, it was also for a reason. His slow and steady steps found him at the edge of the 'city', the buildings and structures, their master's hallmark, behind him, and left him standing with three other mammals, only one of which had noticed his arrival. The little white rabbit, her ears scanning intensely, had looked over her shoulder at him, a curt smile on her face. He flashed a small smirk in response, and then waited for the other two, a large buffalo and a grey wolf, both with their backs to him and deep in conversation.

"That's a rather harsh sentence, even for the master. And for such a small settlement… I can't be the only one to believe that an air has shifted." Hawkeye Pawtorias said, his voice carrying regardless of his attempted hushed tone.

"You may be right, and the others may agree, but now is not the time and here is not the place, to declare such a dissent from our orders." The buffalo responded. Hornstein Gladihorn's statement was not a rebuttal, but the admonishment silenced his fellow warrior. It was only after this comment did they realize Gwyndolin's arrival.

"Well, took you long enough. And with those eyes, one would expect you to have arrived first." Fauxfang looked up at the lycan archer, trying to gauge just how sarcastic the wolf was trying to be. Shrugging off the comment, he tilted his head, his eyes falling on the giant buffalo.

"What's the assignment this time?" The direct question got a snort from the leader of the group, who responded just as directly.

"There's a small encampment of felines situated in the fork of the river just north of here. They're mainly a docile group, but the master doesn't appreciate them setting up a village so close to the border, and has ordered us to remove them."

"Remove them as in evict them? Or…" he trailed off, allowing the other option to go unsaid. Izalith Earwings stood fast right next to him, an odd loyalty in play. Behind them stood Pawtorias, and in the far back trailing along, Gladihorn.

"Or. Let's go." The gruff command was all that was necessary to get them on the move, as Gwyndolin took point, his eyes showing them the way far more easily than his companions could hope to figure out on their own. They made their way swiftly, intent on their mission, and getting it done. And when they found the settlement, they dealt with is in a most efficient fashion. What defenders stood against them found their defenses bulldozed by Gladihorn, their ranks shredded by Fauxfang, their leaders slain by Earwings, and when they finally broke, the stragglers picked off one by one by Pawtorias.

When the few dozen warriors were swept asides, the sacking of the village was a simple matter, one that they sped through in a methodical and effective manner. However, the blood of innocents was not an easy thing for them to deal with, and in the dancing light of the fires they set, they looked up from the dead and destroyed, the blood soaked ground, to each other, all with the same thought briefly going through each of their minds.

' _How could we have done this?'_

 _~3087 years ago~_

Hawkeye walked through the now 'busy' streets of his Lord's estate, the capitol swarming with the freshly evolved subjects for the master's ruling. The mammals that went about their business, simply surviving and working under the shadow of the looming stone cathedral that was the Dark Lord's residence. This was an odd day for the wolf, as he had no assignments, no actions to take, no vigils to set. And so he found himself aimlessly wandering the town, his mind running over the near insanity that was the past 400 years. He was sure that the unnatural basis for the present state of the world. Even so, he became surprised with how resilient the mammals of the world were, and how accepting of the new status quo they pushed themselves to be. Families moved from place to place, workers and farmers and aides shuffled crates and tools and supplies from place to place, keeping the system alive and well. Deciding on a locale to simply sit and watch, the grey wolf walked into a hospice, the small dining area more than ample for him to listen in on the gossip of the town. His quiet watch would not last long however, as his eyes scanned the nearby square and fell on a young, white furred maiden, the wolfess looking through fruits on the wooden stands, completely oblivious to the eyes that held her in prominence.

Objectively, there was little of real significance to the arctic she-wolf, as her kind went. But something about the sight enkindled another sense deep within the perennial archer. The dim spark, the deep seated desire, quietly goaded him to walk over to her, to attempt the charm he had seen countless other males enact on countless other females, to varying degrees of success. And while tempting, the feeling was hushed, effectively silenced by a dark, commanding command; one demanding lone servitude. His Lord was a jealous Lord, and would see no competition in the way of his servant's faithfulness. The one sided conflict was unsettlingly painful, as the slave knight still had no way to truly comprehend the feeling. Disturbed by the perverse upsetting revulsion from his natural inclination, Hawkeye quickly got up and left the building, heading back to his own den, seeking solace in solitary introspection.

 _~3072 years ago~_

"Well, it took you long enough, 'Lin. I was afraid I would have to do this all by myself." Izalith commented, her joke filled with subtle hints of attachment and light tenses of attempted seduction. The tones were there, and while carefully spoken, were more than apparent. His response was a simple smirk, a quick one, but one that put a smile on her face before they got around to their actual duties.

"Who have you been sent after this time?" Gwyndolin asked, his blunt persona returning. Slightly upset with his return to professionalism, the rabbit gave a weak pout and then answered, her own austere demeanor coming back as well.

"The master believes there to be a bomb plot in this area. He's not truly concerned, but he wants us to make an example of them." The command was unsettling to both of them, and despite the overbearing will of their master, their minds echoed each other's reluctance to commit the barbaric savagery they knew was expected of them.

Once set on the task, it didn't take them long to discover the location of the terrorists. The mammals were quite sloppy in their tactics, and when one too many slipped into the sewers, Fauxfang and Earwings went in after them, their mindset focused on completing their assignment. The underground tunnels were surprisingly clean, the constant flow of fresh, pure water keeping the black stone well polished, despite the refuse that came through. Even though the area remained clean for the most part, the corruption of the air, the intoxication of the the potent aura of their master was still present, rendering the dark, blood red lamp lit corridors even darker to the pale rabbit. Just like the night time shadows, however, this thick blackness had no effect on Gwyndolin's vision, and he masterfully lead his companion through the tunnels, until they reached a large, opened antechamber. The room was a centralized flooding chamber, meant to release a large amount of water through the system in short order. It had been decommissioned since its original construction however, making it an excellent storage spot for the massive amount of TNT barrels that they now came face to face with. The pile stood on a set of wood pallets to keep them above the river of water passing through the center of the room. And there was two dozen or so mammals that stood around them, carrying out an assortment of tasks, now interrupted by the arrival of the two knights.

"We was wondering when your lot would find us 'ere. Took longer than we 'spected, ain't that right lads?" A male capybara standing on top of the pile of barrels laughed, his comment bringing the attention of all of his followers on the two of them.

"We don't care 'bout your little toys and tricks. We'ves got ourselves the true release. Looky here; this is more than 'nough powder to blow that entire little tower the tyrant's built to smithereens. We'll be free at last. But since we can't let you be leaving, you won't be seeing that, won't ya? Get 'em!" With the simple order, the rodent's lackeys charged, attacking the pair with anything they had in an attempt to make a strike land. Unfortunately for them, nothing did.

Izalith moved as if one with the shadows around them, her knives sliding out of her cloak's sleeves and into her paws as her arms stuck out at the necks and limbs of her attacks, slicing through skin and into arteries to leave the aggressors dying instead of simply dead, allowing her to move quickly with the same assurances. Her larger compatriot though, simply brought down his longsword on anyone foolish enough to get close, the blade cutting through fur, skin, muscle, sinew, bone, and then out the other side as a hot knife through butter. With their numbers dropping off like flies, one of them decided to try another tactic, and rushed the barrels with a torch, determined to take the enforcers out with their targets. He never got the chance. Deciding to neutralize the threat of the explosives, Gwyndolin focused, igniting the imbued power he had been lent by his master, and struck at the wood pallets, shattering them. The force shook the entire stack, and with their base now ruined, sent them crashing to the floor, getting most of the barrels soaked by the rushing water. As luck would have it, one of the containers fell on the mammal that was attempting to ignite them, crushing it. The sickly crunch echoed throughout the room, despite the commotion, and for some reason left the two warriors unsettled.

The capybara, who had survived the fall from his pedestal on top of the towering bomb, was quick to realize this, and looking around, he grabbed an set fire to one of the few barrels left dry, picking it up to through at Earwings. The rabbit didn't notice the danger, as she tried to shake loose the disgust that came entangled with continued echoes the crushed mammal just a few seconds ago. But while she was oblivious to it, the action was happening right before Gwyndolin's eyes, and in an attempt to stop it, launched his sword at the rodent. The blade spun through the air, and almost savagely lopped off the leader's head and outstretched arms. The death of it's pitcher did nothing to change the trajectory of burning wood canister, the explosive hurling down towards the white rabbit. A sudden and uncalled for panic came over the red fox, his inner emotions already stirred by the sound of death not but a moment earlier. In a desperate move, he lunged at his companion, traversing the hundred or so meters between them in not even a second, scooping her up as the barrel crashed next to them, detonating. The concussive force sent the two small mammals flying. The splashed down in the middle of the strewn boxes of more powder, now soaked with water and fairly well rattled, yet unharmed due to their master's endowments. Breathing heavily, the vulpine swordsmammal moved off of his ally, a confused but much appreciated look of gratitude on her face. Without a word, she reached up and gave him a quick peck on his cheek, before standing to assess the situation, the small moment passing without a word.

Shaking off the clutches of the powerful attraction they felt to each other in that moment, the two knights stood and looked around, searching for any evidence that there might be a loose end. It wasn't long before they found one. A small, blind raccoon had survived, huddled in a corner away from the battle. Not being a threat, they restrained her.

"What should we do with her? We've eliminated the danger as ordered. But I doubt the master will be pleased if we allow this one to go free. Killing her though was not a command." The desperate attempt to avoid the inevitable was not lost on the obvious end resonated with the fox, as the rabbits silent plea for mercy corresponded to his own feeling of lingering sense of empathy.

"We'll have to enquire. We can take her with us back to the summons chamber. He might have something useful for her."

* * *

"My liege, the threat has been disposed of. The crates of explosives are currently being removed, and the traitors have nearly all been dealt with. The is a singular matter to be dealt with. A raccoon, blinded and terrified, was also found in the sewers with the terrorists. What shall become of her?" The dark room was lit only by a small, floating red crystal, held above an ornate polished black stone altar. Around the gem swirled a brownish, blackish red presence, the signature of his connection to the device.

" _ **I can feel her. Her guilt is obvious through the trembling fear. Leave her there. I will make an example of her. You have done well in bringing her to me. Consider my dealing with her without aid your gift."**_ The statement was stomach churning, and despite the cries from the mammal, the pleas for mercy and for safety, the denials of association, they deftly, numbly left the chamber, leaving her as the pleas became tortured screams, allowing the door behind them to snuff out the sound from their ears. But the true nightmare came the next day, she her body, with her face twisted in fear, was found hung in the city center, the bodies of what could only be assumed to be her friends and family holding a similar expression one ropes and stands next to her. As they saw it, guilt overcame the two small mammals, and they quickly fled the square, looking to comfort each other in private.

 _~3069 years ago~_

Gwyndolin didn't exactly understand how he had stumbled into the position he was now in. The larger one, that is. His current posture and the immediate events that lead to it, him laying over the pale white ball of winter scented fur as her legs wrapped around his waist, their bodies entwined as one, were more than easy enough to recall. How he had allowed himself, or how she had allowed herself, to succumb to such raw passions was beyond either of them. And now, as they lay there in his bed, the red sheets rustled around them and the crystalline bed frame knocked slightly out of place, he couldn't help but enjoy it; the freeing feeling of intimacy, the relieving sensation of undeniable reciprocated trust, all led to the subtle nightmares accumulated over centuries of actions taken, crimes against all that he knew to be fair and just, to be dulled.

* * *

The next morning, as they prepared themselves for another, gruesome mission, they prepared silently. She retrieved her cloak and garments from where he had removed them; he pulled out a fresh set of greaves and his own uniform from his closet, and without a word, they got dressed, and left the rooms separately, much to their hearts' dismay. Making their way to the meet up point, Izalith speeding ahead, with Gwyndolin taking even longer than usual, as to keep up appearances. She, of course, arrived long before he did, yet not without a notice to her unusual tardiness, one that their larger allies decided to refrain from commenting on.

It was only after their mission did Hawkeye comment, destroying their whole pretense of innocence.

"What is it like, sharing intimacy with this mind? I haven't gotten around to breaking the rules, so I am dreadfully curious as to the sensations that must follow." The question was not an amorphous one, and as the wolf's stare jumped from Fauxfang to Earwings and back again, they knew they were caught.

"How did you know?" Izalith asked, intent on finding out how to better hide it before divulging any information. Before he could give an answer, Hornstein chuckled, the throaty sound pulling attention his way.

"For all the power you have been soaked in, you forget some of the little things. Perhaps Pawtorias and I being forced to deal with the little people has given us insight you two have lost?" His comment was not an explanation, more just an insulting quandary. After giving him a deadly scowl, she turned back to Hawkeye, who looked at Fauxfang, curious if the fox had caught on. Thankfully, her lover had, and was more than willing to provide the straightforward answer.

"They could smell it. We forgot to mask each other's scents, and so they probably noticed me on you the moment you got to the meetup site." His calm collection ruffled her fur, as she hadn't seen what he did, and his ability to remain unphased in his explanation caused her to guess he had discerned the fact before now, yet hadn't told her. That argument would be for another time though, as Pawtorias started back up again.

"For nearly 500 years we have been able to remain faithful to his orders. What self-destructive force possessed you to break that faith now? To bed another is strictly forbidden for us, but to bed each other… I would assume would be even worse." Pawtorias wasn't wrong, as his line of thinking was more than easily backed up. Yet, Fauxfang had a response to this as well, having allowed himself to think more on the dilemma than his assassin accomplice in adultery.

"We have served loyally for nearly 500 years. That is why. We have seen the effects of the traumas we have inflicted on others, and what that does to their minds. The scholars and researchers back at the city are certain such scenes of destruction we weave are simply toxic to the minds of our subjects, and our minds are just reinforced relatives of those more plentiful beings. Why would 400 plus years of service not affect us? And if we wish to continue to serve, why not take advantage of the one thing that helps soothe our damaged minds?" His response was well spoken, and the implication that the event would happen again put a pleasant smile on the white rabbit's face. Hawkeye was still displeased.

"When he finds out, he will not see it that way. I assure you, the master will see you both as traitors, and treat you as such." The idea unsettled the fox, but fortunately, the worries brought up were quickly silenced, as Gladihorn spoke once again, their reassuring leader having the right words to say for the first time in a long time.

"Well then, he will undoubtedly see us as just the same when he learned we hid the act from him."

"Touche, but they get all the benefits, so I think I deserve to rant." The joke carried with it a sense of familiarity, and for the first times in the risen lives, the group laughed, truly, their moment of bonding cementing their camaraderie.

 _~3002 years ago~_

The four servants stood in their master's hall, the unusual sandstone a massive shift from the dead, black… material that made up the rest of the cityscape. The wide platform in front of them held on it a glossy, semi-translucent black thrown, with the master seated squarely in the large chair. Just slightly larger than his sharpeyed archer, the being was draped in inky black shadows, obscuring its person from the view of his assembled servants. This gathering was unusual. Not for 600 years had the master called for all of them to meet with him together, their inception and indoctrination into his fold all those centuries ago. Their presence there as a collective was nerve wracking to the lot, for fear of lies or secrets of being unearthed.

" _ **You all have a new mission, one that requires your immediate attention.**_ _**I have long been pardoning this world of its sins, yet there is one that I simply will not tolerate. I have sensed a hybrid, a monstrosity come into being outside of my borders. Such a crime must not be allowed to exist. It is a danger to our power, and therefore must be sought, found, and snuffed out. The abomination was born in a small town to the south. Raze is to the ground, and when you have done so, bring me the corpse, unmarred by else other than the death blow."**_ The voice was not even material; the booming, overwhelming sensation not to be heard, but to be felt, as their master's orders rang not just through their minds, but through their very souls, leaving them chilled to the bone. Never had they been commanded like that. And as they left, they dared to wish to never feel that again.

* * *

They treated the mission like any other, moving by night to their target location, then ambushing the town when they got there. Had they not been supernaturally imbued by the master, they would have found this settlement far more difficult that the previous dozens upon dozens of villages they had ransacked. The town had stone and wooden structures, and the battlements were planned and organized well. Unfortunately for the town's mammals, they were, and the improvements over their predecessors did nothing to fend of the Dark Lord's servants. It did, however, give them pause, each new step wearing down their already damaged faith more than any previous engagement, and as the fires were set and the buildings were ablaze, they understood the feeling that had continually attempted to seep into their minds.

Regret.

And as the last of the settlers fell to Gwyndolin's sword, or to Hornstein's axe, or to Izalith's knives, or to Hawkeye's bow, that regret truly began to seep in deep, their minds now swimming in it. It failed to stay their hands, until their true target stood before them, Gwyndolin ready to bring down the fell sweep that would extinguish the little life from existence. But he couldn't drop his arm. The infant, a wolverine and black bear cub, was curled up against a brick wall, terrified and crying. In less than a second, any of them could have completed their mission and snuff out the crying life. But their bodies refused to comply, unwilling to continue the senseless slaughter.

And as regret turned to a demand for retribution, they huddled around the child, calming him down, hoping to repair the damage to his mind, and the fled, taking him away from the destruction.

* * *

" _ **You have returned, yet your mission has not been fulfilled. Why?"**_ Their master's inquiry was met with silence, as the four mammals filed into the room. Did he know of the hearts of betrayal they held? Was he already aware of the simple act of sedition their presence there was? None of them knew. But the four of them knew how irrelevant it was, as in a moment, they would strike, and learn a great many things of the relationship between their lord and the nature of the power they had been so long drowned in.

 _~Present~_

"The battle, according to to retelling Fauxfang's daughter inscribed years later, was fierce, taxing, and a nightmare to be a contestant in. It was said to have lasted days, and be the catalyst for storms multitudes greater than the largest of hurricanes we now see today. However, the outcome of the confrontation is all that truly matters; their master, the Dark Lord of Ancients, Master of the Knights, Ruler of Old, was defeated, and locked beneath the city he had inhabited. Afterwards, the three remaining donned new titles, each lords in their own right. Pawtorias became the Watcher of the Gate, his lineage never leaving the old vault, a careful eye to keep the danger locked away. Gladihorn became known as the Second Ruler, his leadership forming a new nation, one far freer and more akin to that which we have come to know as a true mammal kingdom. His line would eventually splinter and spread, to the point where no single successor could be found, and the power he once controlled no longer seated in the bloodline he started. And Lord Fauxfang, founder of Vixshire, hearted patriarch of the many foxes that found home in his domain, inherited a Lordship of Secrets, for he tasked himself and his offspring for all generation, with the grueling command of erasing the past, and ensuring that the tomb of his old master would never be found again. As you can see, he and Pawtorias failed in their endeavours, as that prison is now in danger of being opened again." As her recount came to a close, the vision in the plate obscured, and faded back into the clear water it had started out as. Filled with thoughts that demanding his introspection, Nick took a second, thinking to himself instead of voicing anything aloud. Judy, however, for the first time, was interested in this history, but her skeptical side demanded answers first.

"How do you know this? What is that? How is none of this has ever been hinted at in the history we have of the world?" Her question the obvious one, yet the answer had already been given. Because of that, Reika sat back for a second, examining the rabbit officer with a powerful gaze, one that almost transcended her lack of natural sight.

"For one so smart, you seem to refuse to allow yourself personal insights often, reclaimer. It seems as though the assassin was well to be fond of her seeker, if this is the caliber of investigation we could expect from one with such incomprehensible skill, matched only by their own self imposed ignorance." The odd vernacular did nothing to dull the force and sting of the insult, one that caused Judy to recoil from her original outburst. The denigration of his mate was not permissible to Wilde though, and upon hearing it, snapped out of his internal conversation.

"And for one so experience, it seems incredible that you would willing to cast insult on someone with so much apparent potential. Judy has kept up with Pawtorias and I this entire time, never even a step behind during this entire ordeal. Even many extraordinary mammals would've folded their hands long ago, especially coming from a cold, hard, facts reality she's faced in the past. I would expect you of all mammals to recognize that, and maintain a far more respectful tone when speaking to her, especially as she is my mate, and deserves not just her own recognition but every right to mine as well." His retort was matched as he wrapped his tail around the bunny and a scowl came to his face. Reika's response was more guarded than sincere, as her apology and explanation held her indignant wounded pride as being talked down to.

"My apologies, reclaimer, for my misuse of dictation. I only meant to convey that you have all the facts, and I fail to understand why you do not connect them yourself. Like I said, Gwyndolin Fauxfang tasked himself with the secreting of all that hinted at the ancient time, the time of his liege. He, and his descendents, were incredibly effective in hiding away the numerous evidences, or obliterating what they couldn't possibly hope to lock away. The fervor of the freed peoples of the world was one that was easily turned into raging mobs of needless destruction. His word was not law, however. Lady Elfriede, the one to take up the mantle of Lord Fauxfang after her father, was intent on recording all of her sire's memories, as much as he would recount to her. When he built Vixshire, she made certain to have a vault constructed, where she in turn stored said writings, much to his chagrin. He allowed it to remain as a repository of knowledge, believing mit might someday be of use. Or perhaps he did not raze it simply out of a weakness for his daughter? It matters not; the secrets it held were learned by every librarian to serve the House of Fauxfang since those times, and does a good now.

"That second question though, has a far more lengthy, if not troubling answer. The abilities the old warriors possessed were not lost with their loss of access to their immortality; each still had the enormous and mythical powers handed to them by their liege survived the battle. Not only that, the strength became an inherited trait, and Lady Elfriede's gifts allowed her, against her father's wishes, to craft and imbue many objects with power. Unfortunately for the early family, after the Gwyndolin perished, Lady Elfriede and her son Vilhelm, became obsessed with their mystical talents, and caused a rift between her and her brother, Sir Gael. After much in fighting, Gael triumphed in removing the threat they posed, taking up the mantle of Lord. It is through his line that we see the Lords of the House of Fauxfang arise. After taking this position, it became obvious that he too held a similar softness for the machinations of his sister, and instead of erasing her many trinkets and items of power, he merely hid them away, sealing them and her writings in the vault. That plate, the omnistuor, was one such device, passed down from librarian to librarian, in hopes no lesson be unlearned. It is my last possession of value, and when you leave, you must take it with you."

"Why didn't it show us the battle? Why did it stop there, right at the precipice?" Nick asked, his question almost judgemental. Mrs. Springslink took the query in stride, and answered as completely as she had before.

"The tool is only as effective as it's creator; it cannot display that which the crafter could not understand. I believe their was something more to the battle than we know, something not even Lady Elfriede could possibly comprehend. I doubt she was unaware of this failing, one such as her surely attempted to peer into the event much more than we have." The hint gave Judy an idea, one that she rushed to share, hoping to prove herself to the old cheetah.

"Well the only time it displayed that… _thing_ , it showed it as an amorphous mass of inky darkness, like a cloud. But there's no way they could've fought that. It probably took on another form, one that her father refused to describe, and so she wouldn't be able to understand." The guess was based on more than a couple assumptions, but the careful silence that followed seemed to reassure her of the accuracy of her hypothesis. However, their speculation on the matter did nothing for them, and Nick swiftly moved on.

"What happened to Earwings?" His question pointed out the missing character, although the implications from tale made her fate more than obvious. Her reluctance to answer the question made it clearer still, but Nick's eyes showed a persistent demand for a straightforward answer, one to which she eventually caved.

"She died in that battle. The only writing of Lord Gwyndolin's to survive up to the fire of the House of Fauxfang was a single piece; a eulogy for her. In it, he praised her loyalty, skill, honour, and willing sacrifice to remove the Dark Lord from power. It seems as during the combat, she used a technique to distract the Lord, and when his attention was elsewhere, used her own life to empower the seal the others had made. Her loss was a significant wound to the fox, one that both his children and even his second mate found incredulous that he ever overcame."

"How did he?" Nick asked, the demand for answers clear in his eyes. The questioning was odd for Judy, as the idea was simply unnecessary to her. Was he planning on replacing her? The thought inhabited her mind long enough for it to bloom a fear as she listened to the old cheetah's answer.

"Gwyndolin Fauxfang knew he could not allow his line to end with him; his mission would take longer than his own life to complete. Both he and Pawtorias knew they could not entrust their duties to a lesser bloodline, and with their responsibilities of such import, they knew they had to see their own lineages continue. And so, against his own nature, he took on a second mate, and in doing became the lone male fox to ever do so. It seems interesting enough however, to mention the fact that no mother to the line has ever deemed themselves' a true equal. I believe the position was cursed to see temporary place holders until the true mate could find herself that place again, and now it seems she has." The implication was apparent, and Judy almost blushed at the concept of being Nick's 'true' mate. Although she found it hard to stop the swelling feeling of perfect belonging. Nick spoke up again though, the next question on a different topic.

"The sword he used, Gwyndolin's, that was a nearly identical weapon to Eleazar's. That's quite a coincidence, is it not?"

"Ahh, yes. The parallels between the two, Gwyndolin under servitude and Eleazar under his own submission, are startling, as are the striking parallels between Gwyndolin and you,after his release. Souls are subject to change, and it seems as that one left an impression from both ideals.

"As for the blade itself, if your implication is that they are the same, then you would be incorrect. That weapon is long since lost, and I doubt of any real value in its current state. At one point it might have been a terrifying weapon of ancient power, but I would guess that now it is no more than an echo of its former self, estranged from the spirit that empowered it, and now replaced." For a moment, Nick went silent, unable to ask another question. Judy, however, decided to go back to the basics.

"While I'm happy for you that have managed to avoid my original question up until now, I still want answer to it; how do you know this?" The epistemological question had no good enough answer for the rabbit; the librarian knew for countless reasons, none that could be proven beyond the plate in front of them, and they hadn't the time for that.

"I will tell you this reclaimer; neither of us have the time to understand why I know what it is I do. So I simply request you take my lessons to heart until you may delve into their source. I have learned much in my life, and with the wisdom that came with all of those countless hours of study, have peered into events none could possibly yet know." Her request fell on open ears, and Judy immediately saw her hint.

"Yet know? Are you claiming to have seen the future?" The blunt way of putting it got a chuckle from the old female, and Nick's attention turned to her again.

"Hahaha… seen is such a narrow term. Perceived, yes, now that is a much more accurate statement. I have learned much, and in doing so have a warning to give, my last piece of wisdom to bequeath unto you, preserver. Your battle, the end to this journey, will demand a sacrifice. It is unavoidable. However, when the time comes, faced with your past, you will have to choose; to either save it, and sacrifice the his anchor, or let it go, and see history repeat itself."

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry this took long. It's a really long chapter though, so there's that positive. Please read and review this. The feedback from this chapter will decide how I write the ending.**

 **Thank you to the guest reviews on the last chapter and to Cimar Turalis of WildeHopps, they were a great motivator.**

 **Those reviews however lead me to another point; I promote criticism and critique of my work. I really appreciate it, and I welcome it as a necessity. I am a very poor proof reader of my own work, despite being a good editor of others, and so I rely on others for proof reading. However, as this story is far from complete, I don't bother with editing before uploads; many of the earlier chapters have been revised and rewritten to the point where any proof reading of the original would be useless on the rewrites (those will be uploaded soon; if you would like to help edit, send me a PM).**

 **However, I do not allow and will not allow someone to insult fellow readers for their creative preferences. Free speech is one thing; baseless insults is another. If you have a real critique of my work, not just dung to fling at my other readers, then post it. If it's a baseless complaint on my writing style, or the title of my story, or a vague commentary on the overall work being written poorly, then save it. That is neither helpful nor warranted, especially when a direct response is impossible.**

 **Please, I value criticism, and want the reviews. I read and respond to every single one. I hold no grudge against negative reviews, or even reviews that purely point out the flaws. Libious made such a review early in this story, and I have used it as a starting point for edits ever since. If you have an issue with how something is written, or believe I have made a mistake, feel free to point it out without needlessly attacking someone else. Thank you.**


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